


A Siren's Song, A Sellsword's Salvation

by strawberrysummers



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Confident Jaemin and Renjun both, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Romance, Fae & Fairies, Fantasy Kingdom, M/M, Mercenary/Assassin Na Jaemin, Moralless Jaemin, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Pixies, References to Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Seductive Renjun, Sexual Tension, Siren Renjun, Slow Burn, both trying to kill each other honestly, folk lore, high stakes so no one will admit it first, push and pull, very slight angst, wordy writing as always :(
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-21
Updated: 2020-08-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:27:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 50,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25424623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/strawberrysummers/pseuds/strawberrysummers
Summary: They say that when a Siren falls in love, they become mortal once more, and only then can they be killed. In this case, Na Jaemin, the moralless mercenary from Dasne Kingdom, plans to do just that: kill the famed Siren. What he hadn’t expected to find though, was a boy with a smile a little too bright, eyes too pretty, and words a little too sweet: Renjun.OR : Renjun is a Siren, destined to lure wanderers to their deaths with just a kiss. And Na Jaemin has a kill order out for said Siren.
Relationships: Huang Ren Jun/Na Jaemin
Comments: 74
Kudos: 253





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you guys enjoy <3 ! My first attempt at fantasy  
> first chapter: 13k words in case, anyone is busy :)
> 
> +++ it goes straight into the world building really fast, so i apologize if there's any confusion :')

* * *

Somewhere beyond the Dasne Kingdom, across the bend of the river and past the rows of quaint homes with flower pots on the window sills and birds that chirp gossip they hear throughout the streets, right through the Dark Woods, which was home to water nymphs and goblins that tell you the wrong directions, all travellers fear crossing paths with a certain creature. 

There are many beasts hiding amidst their society: dragons that steal jewels from the homes of wealthy magistrates while they sleep, griffins that may snatch a citizen’s child if they leave them unattended, ghouls that climb terraces and peer into their loved ones windows. 

But none are more terrifying to the wandering traveller than the Siren. 

The thing about the siren that lives in the dark blue cove is that no one would ever see it as a Siren. People say it looks just the same as anyone else, except more beautiful, more seductive, more alluring in every sense. Alluring from the words that drip from their mouths like honey, to the stars in their eyes that could put the strongest willed man in a trance just from a glance. 

No one would know it was a siren who they had come upon until it was too late, until a kiss reaches their lips and the next thing they knew, they would be dragged to the bottom of the cove’s lagoon meeting the fate of the hundreds of other travellers throughout the hundreds of years that the Siren has been alive. 

Na Jaemin, mercenary under King Leon’s coin, knew this, yet his journey through the Dark Woods continues as he threatens gremlins for information on how to get to the infamous cove where the siren dwells. It wasn’t too far, he’s heard, but how would he know. No one has survived seeing the famed Siren. But this did not deter him. 

Jaemin’s eyes were set on the filthy reward set for the siren’s head, who had been taking the souls of many of the King’s court of knights. 50,000 golden doubloons was the prize, and stakes on newly discovered land in the Far West. That would set him up for life. Just seeing the carts of gold delivered to his future palatial home made his body hungry for the task at hand. 

They called Na Jaemin a sellsword, never doing anything solely for the good of the Kingdom or out of the kindness of his heart but always for some steep price. Always for some superficial reason. 

But even then, the wealthy merchants still hired him to carry out their dangerous deeds, for it didn’t matter if Jaemin did things for the right reasons. He did them well. If the Master of Rubies needed to track down a thief that had stolen away with a cart full of precious jewels, then with a sack of gold, he could convince Na Jaemin to bring back the thief within a fortnight. If the High General needed to take out a traitor who served the enemies valuable information, another sack of gold would guarantee the runaway traitor’s head on a platter within a week. 

Not a single soul in the Kingdom approved of Jaemin’s ethics, but they could say nothing about the man’s success in his missions. It didn’t matter that he was moralless. He was successful.

Na Jaemin had earned a bit of a reputation for being a little bit more on the rougher side. More rogue, do what he wants type. After a couple years, law enforcement had stopped getting into little squabbles with the man, understanding that rum and women fueled his extravagant yet rugged lifestyle and that nothing could stop him. His nights were spent at the pub, setting down coins for rum and strange liquors that made his sword arm feel weak. Or maybe with a pretty woman on his arm, straight out of the King’s court. 

He had earned the title of casanova for sure, and people say that the game he plays with people’s emotions almost rivaled that of a Siren’s. Of course, that was all speculation, for no one who had encountered the siren ever came back to tell the tale. 

Maybe that was why the King sent him on this task, he thinks as he chuckles to himself. He had broken the heart of many before, yet none has ever broken his. He was stone, and could not be swayed otherwise.

The women or men he kept in his circle always attended the balls, went to tea with the Queen, knew the gossip within the ranks, but Jaemin never cared for such things. He was a troublemaker by heart and spirit, and it just happens to be that he had found a way to make a living off of it. 

Jaemin often wore a signature white button up blouse, with the top few buttons undone revealing his toned chest, complete now with a sabertooth’s fang necklace dangling in his partially open chest. As he walks through the Dark Woods, he plays with the fang, wondering if it will work as it should. 

He was not the first starry-eyed soul brave enough to try to slay the Siren, but he was no doubt the most prepared. He came in a winning card in his hands.

The winning card was the necklace that dangled on his chest in between his white blouse. Intricately designed, with ruins etched into its white ivory. Before he left, King Leon, the old complaining hag of a man, sought out a sorceress to enchant one of these rare sabertooths, giving the wearer the ability to withstand the harm of a Siren. 

Its magic, he was warned, would only work so long as it stays on his neck. As long as it stays on, a Siren could not harm him in any way, shape, or form. However, the moment it comes off, the enchantment on it would be lost forever. And so he palms it now. It was uncomfortable around his neck, for he was not used to wearing jewelry, but he would have to grow to get used to it. 

Na Jaemin had been walking for three hours now, and it felt like he was going the right direction. He was not particularly sure, but the general idea was that the cove was supposed to be magnificent, people predicted. 

He imagined towers of limestone surrounding it, each with stalactites in its caves that looked like fangs ready to eat all who come in. The fables speak of the Siren emerging from one of those dark caves and into the waters of the cove when a traveller comes through, luring it in to eat a meal and under its beautiful song and pretty eyes, a kiss from the Siren will kill any living mortal. 

Jaemin fantasized about the idea of the glory it would bring to bring back the Siren’s head on a platter to the King. His thoughts kept him company during his walk. Aside from the occasional pixie or curious nymph that emerged from the trees that they host, he didn’t encounter much. It was the Dark Woods after all. People knew its reputation enough to not go in.

When he was hungry, he’d either eat from his travelling sack or hunt for some game to roast over a spitfire. Food was not a problem. What  _ was _ beginning to become a problem, as he reached noon, was water. With as much physical exertion he was creating from his journey, he needed more and more water to compensate. 

And he had completely forgotten to bring some with him, assuming he would not be out here for long. In the Dark Woods, where the faery folk do not need water to survive nor do the trees which survived off the magic of the nymphs that inhabited them, Jaemin found himself without a source. 

However, he knew that  _ water _ nymphs must always host a section of a river, a stream, or anything really, and so he asked around. Where there is a water nymph, there must be water.  _ My friend Aurora is a water nymph! She lives down that way _ , a bush gnome would tell him pointing down a direction. With a mention of thanks and a cube of sugar for the gnome, he went on his way. 

This continued for a while, until past the canopy of trees, Jaemin saw that the sun was going to set within an hour or two, and he was feeling a bit more tired by the moment.

It was as if the spirits of the woods have been watching out for him, because just before the sun could set and leave him unable to search for water in the darkness, Jaemin pushes back an overhand of large leaves the size of elephant ears. 

Maybe it was a mirage, for there he saw what looked to be a beautiful lagoon of water, a deep blue. The water was only transparents up until a foot in depth before turning as dark as the deepest of sapphires. Surrounding the lagoon were thickets of lush greenery, and bushes of pretty pink flowers, some white, some blue. Funny. He’s never seen blue flowers before, but then again, he had never ventured this deep into the Dark Woods before either. 

On the far side of the lagoon, some limestone made up the border of and the water created patterns of light against the white rock. The lagoon led out to what looked like a river, covered like an arch by the greenery that grew above it. The sun had not completely set, but he could already see fireflies lighting up near the water’s edge. 

As thirsty as he was, Jaemin’s eyes focused on something a little bit more peculiar. Sitting there, splashing water onto his face as if to wash himself, was a person. Or at least, what looked to be a person on first glance. 

Jaemin would have thought the person, who looked to be a man with a slim physique around his age, was a traveller also if not for the hair. It was unnatural. A very faint, very light gold. It shimmered in the sunlight seemingly, and Jaemin felt himself feel drawn to it. The boy. He was not human. Maybe it was a nymph, Jaemin thought, but looking at the boy’s ears, which were rounded like a human’s, it could not have been. 

Jaemin made small steps closer, foot very softly so that it doesn’t make a sound on the smooth pebble that made up the ground leading to the edge of the lagoon, and when he was close enough behind the stranger, he spoke up.

“Save some for me, will you?” Jaemin said in reference to the water that the boy was scooping up in his hands..

The stranger, who did not have a shocked reaction in the slightest oddly enough, stopped what he was doing and still in his kneeling position, turns his head to the side not looking directly at Jaemin, “Go ahead.”

Jaemin was wary, but he knelt down besides the stranger, who was now staring at him through his peripheral vision, and cupped water to his lips. It was sweet, and felt replenishing to his parched lips. The water was sweeter than other water he had tasted before, and he kept drinking before taking out his canteen and filling that up too in order to complete his journey. 

When he finished, he finally looked up at the stranger for the first time, and Jaemin stopped completely in everything that he was doing. The stranger stared intently at him, and Jaemin found himself suddenly doing the same. 

Dainty lips with a perfect cupid’s bow, stained a permanent pink as if born like this. Eyes that tapered at the outer edge downwards, giving a soft but alluring appearance. Long lashes fanned out, creating a slightly hooded shadow above the lid, which seemed to be dusted with a soft terracotta-brown shadow, looked as if it was permanent. A faint pink blush spread on the stranger’s cheeks naturally. This was no doubt the most physically attractive person that Na Jaemin had set his eyes on. But he didn’t let himself linger for too long.

The stranger kept staring at him, and it became a little weird and uncomfortable.

The black haired sellsword raised a brow then at the stranger, “Do you stare like this at every person you meet?”

The pretty stranger kept looking at Jaemin then blinked as if confused, muttering under his breath  _ that’s weird. _

“What’s weird?” Jaemin asked, still kneeling besides the stranger. 

The stranger then tilts his head and as if he returned back to his own thoughts, he smiled, “Nothing.” And then he gestured towards the water, “The water is quite sweet, isn’t it?” 

Jaemin looked at the water then back at the stranger, shaking his head, “It is.”   
“They say it’s sweet from the blood of a thousand souls lost here,” The stranger says, eyes searching as if hungry and Jaemin felt a sense of unease wash over him.

Jaemin chuckles and dips his fingers in the water, “Blood’s not sweet.”

The stranger raises a brow, “How would you know? Have you tasted it?”   
Jaemin motioned his head in an  _ not exactly but yes _ kind of fashion, “I’ve been around it enough to know. It’s been on my clothes, my daggers, my hands, so I’m sure it had landed on my lips at some point.”

The stranger had his brows pulled together. Pursing his lips, the stranger scooted a bit closer to Jaemin to ask, “So what brings you out here to the Dark Woods?”   
Jaemin took note of the stranger’s curiosity, and he scooted backwards before explaining, “I’m out here on a kill order.”

“Oh?” The stranger looked even more intrigued, “A kill order? Whose head is it you seek, may I ask?”

Jaemin had unsheathed his dagger to clean in the water. The stranger eyed the blood that came off of it as Jaemin let the water wash away the blood of an animal he had hunted not too long ago. The handle was carved into the shape of a dragon, and the blade itself seemed to be made of bright silvery steel. 

“First, your name,” Jaemin said. 

The stranger furrowed his brows again and opened his mouth then closed it. He didn’t answer for a moment, so Jaemin paused his cleaning and looked up, expectantly. 

The boy let out a breath, “People usually don’t get as far as to ask my name…” He seemed to mutter to himself, and Jaemin frowned, the unease rising again in his stomach. 

But then, the stranger looks up and clears his throat, “Renjun.”

_ Renjun _ .  _ Interesting name _ , Jaemin thought to himself while nodding, “Well, Renjun. To answer your question from earlier, I am here on a kill order for the Siren.”

At this, the stranger, Renjun, then laughed and his hair color turned a pale yellow for a couple seconds instead of the gold it was before. Jaemin stared at it, now confirmed that the creature he was talking to wasn’t human. 

Renjun laughed and looked at Jaemin with sparkling eyes, “The Siren? Have you found them yet?” 

Jaemin shook his head, “Not yet.”

“Hm,” Renjun hummed with a grin on his pretty face, “And who ordered this kill?” 

Na Jaemin was slightly confused by the boy’s laughter, but he answered the question anyways, “The King himself.” 

The boy looked up at this, eyes a little surprised, “King Leon? That’s a first. Wow, you must be quite a knight.”

“Actually,” Jaemin chuckles, “I’m a mercenary. A sellsword, as they call it.” 

Renjun snorts, “A sellsword? He sends a sellsword to murder a Siren?” The boy rolls his eyes and mutters, “Where is the dignity in that?”   
Jaemin laughs, “I may be a sellsword, Renjun, but I have never failed a task.”

At this, a glimmer passed through Renjun’s eyes, “Well, you’re about to fail this one. This is an impossible task you take on.”

Jaemin nods at this, taking note but not actually giving merit to what the boy says. He sheaths his dagger and then asks, “Sure. So how about you, Renjun? What are you doing out here?” 

The boy tilts his head slightly to the side as if humored, “I live here.”   
A sense of discomfort was beginning to creep up into Jaemin and he hums, “You don’t look like a water nymph.”

“That’s because I’m not,” Renjun kept staring at him, a little too deeply as if there was some reaction that was supposed to be happening. Jaemin finds it odd, and he was about to make a comment when the boy speaks up.

“Do you not feel anything?” Renjun asks with a slightly confused expression.

Jaemin speaks slowly, “What do you mean?”

“Do you not...feel anything?” Renjun asks again, staring a little too intently, “No urges for me? No sudden desire to k-”

Jaemin interrupts him with a laugh, “Renjun, are you flirting with me?” 

“What?” Renjun’s face was even more confused now, “No. What is going o-”

“Because you’re definitely bold in your approach,” Jaemin humors, before standing up and wiping his trousers off, “You’re quite beautiful, and I would love to indulge in  _ that _ kind of company, but the sun will set soon and I need to at least find where the Siren lives.”

At this, Renjun stands up. Jaemin sees a light pink flush on his face and the boy speaks out, “I know where it lives.”   
“Do you, now?” Jaemin asks, now suddenly interested and he waits for the boy to tell him. But he had a feeling. Something was wrong here, just from the boy’s mannerism and strange self-commentary.

“Yeah,” Renjun answers. 

Jaemin looks at him, “Then tell me.”   
Renjun nods in place then points around, “So you keep going that way. It doesn’t matter how long.” Jaemin furrowed his brows. What kind of directions were these, but he listens, “Then you turn your body to the right.” Renjun laughs, “And then you turn  _ again  _ to the right, until you face the direction you just came from. After that, you follow the trail back until...” 

Jaemin put his hand on the hilt of his dagger. He had an idea where this was going now, and he should have gotten the hints earlier. 

Renjun finished, “...until you reach the Siren’s cove, somewhere around…” He looks around in a dramatic fashion before staring back up at Jaemin, “here.”   
At this, Jaemin receives all the confirmation he needed and he draws his dagger. 

He had been talking to the Siren this entire time, and had not thought twice about it. Renjun looked so  _ casual _ . And this cove definitely wasn’t the place people have told him. Instead of rocky, black waters that were choppy and lined with caves, the cove was quite beautiful and lush.

Jaemin had expected the Siren to act more  _ typical _ of a monologuing demon, but the fact that Renjun’s behavior mimicked the casualty of any other travelling passerby was even more terrifying. If he did not have the sabertooth dangling between his neck, he would have probably died minutes ago. 

Renjun looked at the tip of the dagger and laughed before wrapping his hand around it, on the sharp side, and pulling up quickly so that the rough motion draws blood. The Siren had purposely cut itself on his blade. 

Jaemin looked at where Renjun had just injured himself purposely with his own dagger. 

It bled something that looked like a glowing gold, not red like mortals. And then, after moments, the wound closed up. 

“I bleed ichor, the blood of the gods,” Renjun told him without breaking eye contact, eyes stormy, “I have the strength of a thousand men, and can crush you with a touch. In other words, you  _ cannot  _ kill me. I am immortal.”

Jaemin stared at the Siren’s hand, which looked as if he had not been cut at all. His dagger looked as if it dripped gold, and he glanced up at the beautiful creature, who took a step closer.

Of course, Na Jaemin hadn’t thought that killing a Siren would be as easy as walking up and taking its head, but he wasn’t exactly expecting it to be invincible either. What was the plan now? 

Renjun took slow, seductive steps towards Jaemin with a triumphant smile, “But you aren’t.”

Renjun places a hand on Jaemin’s shoulders, and the man’s skin burns warm at the touch. Renjun’s touch sent heat through his skin, an almost pleasurable one, and he knew that without the necklace, he would have buckled his knees instantly.

But instead, Jaemin stood firm in his stance and eyed down the Siren, challenging the creature by taking a step forward, causing Renjun, out of confusion, to step back. 

For all the talk about being able to crush people with a single touch, Renjun couldn’t exert any more than a single human force on Jaemin. 

“I bleed red, the blood of mortals,” Jaemin smiles as he mimics the Siren, “Anything else can kill me, but you?” He then reaches a hand up to tap at the sabertooth on his neck, “You can’t.”

Renjun stares at it now, and then back up at Jaemin. A protective charm against Sirens. It would have taken a powerful enchantress to have done that.  _ A powerful enchantress that the King would have been able to afford the service of _ , Renjun cursed in his head. 

The Siren reached out suddenly to grab at the necklace, but it was as if the sabertooth was water within his fingers. He couldn’t tangibly grasp it, due to its magic. 

And Renjun looked up at Jaemin, “So that’s why,” Renjun seethes, “That’s why you can resist my magic.”

Jaemin nods at that while lolling his tongue at his cheek, “Yes. And it’s why you won’t be able to kill me, Siren. Not through magic. Not through touch. Not through anything.,” He says.

Jaemin looks daringly at the beautiful monster, “I supposedly cannot kill you, and you cannot kill me,” He says, “In other words, you’re in check.” 

Renjun rolled his eyes at the chess terminology and clenched his jaw. No mortal man had dared confront him like this. The beauty’s hair turns a dark red, and he threatens Jaemin, “Leave, then. You will spend the rest of your short mortal life trying for nothing.”

Jaemin shakes his head, “I can’t. You see, there’s a large sack of gold for your head, Renjun. And I intend to collect it.”

Renjun seethed and stepped forward, “How are you going to collect if you don’t even know how to kill me.”

Jaemin raised an eyebrow at this. It was exactly the confirmation he wanted, “Oh?” He smiled, “So there  _ is  _ a way to kill you.”

A flash of regret seemed to run across Renjun’s face, for his stance faltered for a moment and he looks away. It was too late, for his reaction was indicative. Na Jaemin knew he was onto something. He just needed to know  _ what _ .

“So,” Jaemin asks, sheathing his dagger back into its compartment in an act of confidence, “Are you going to tell me? Or will I have to ask around? I’m sure I could ask a pixie.” 

Renjun stared at him with dark eyes, “I said,  _ leave _ .”

“You know what?” Jaemin steps closer and leans down a little, knowing he was playing a dangerous game with a very powerful creature, “I don’t think I will.”

Renjun laughs at this, but Jaemin senses clear annoyance in his tone. 

The Siren taunts, “Fine then. Stay here all you want. But know this, even knowing how to kill a siren will not help you.”

Jaemin clicks his tongue in a challenging tone, “Try me.”

At this, out of anger and confidence, Renjun steps forward, a little bit more taunting with each step as he spits out his words, “The first way.”   
_ Ah? There’s more than one? _ Jaemin thinks, and he raises a brow at the revelation that seems to make his job easier. Renjun noticed this and smirked while continuing to conjure dark clouds above with his words. 

“You get a Siren out of its own cove for long enough.” Renjun smiles, “I’d like to see you try.”

And then, the creature holds out its hand, seemingly for Jaemin to drag. Looking down at it, seeming he had nothing to lose, Jaemin reached out to take a hold of the arm as a hesitant test. As soon as his fingers hit the skin, it burnt the same pleasurable feeling as before, but he can swat it out of his mind quickly. 

And then, Jaemin attempted to pull as Renjun kept in place. Did not budge. A strength of a thousand men, huh. Jaemin was growing more and more frustrated by each revelation. So Renjun cannot harm him, but it also seemed as if Jaemin  _ also _ could not harm the other, aside from a simple nick to the hand it seems.

Renjun grins in triumph, “Right. So that’s out of the picture. Would you like to hear option tw-”

“What’s option two?” Jaemin almost growls. 

“Option two,” The Siren tilts its head, “Take a guess. What makes someone a mortal?”

Jaemin did not have the patience for riddles. He waited. 

“To be human is to be weak,” Renjun said with pity, “Why? Because of love. Love is what makes someone mortal.”   
Jaemin purses his lips, “So what are you trying to say?”   
“Option two,” Renjun raises a brow, “Is to make the Siren fall in love. Only then will it become mortal.” 

Na Jaemin stayed silent. 

“The power of love will make you mortal? Are you fucking kidding me?” Jaemin sneers at the stupidity of it all. He hated things like that. He hated all of those cheesy stories about how it was  _ love _ that broke a spell. Or  _ love _ that did this and did that. He didn’t understand the appeal.

“Love is not a power,” Renjun cackles, “It is a weakness. That is why it is symbolic of the human race. You are weak.”

Jaemin stayed silent once more.

So Renjun continued, “See? Like I said, knowing how to kill a Siren will not help you,” And then he adamantly made sure to enunciate each of the following words as he stared Jaemin dead in the eye, “because both options are unachievable.”

Jaemin stared at the cove then. Sparkling blue waters at the shallow part that quickly led to a deep murkier blue where it got deep, and something told Jaemin, it was  _ very _ deep. 

He had a couple choices here. The first is that he leaves. He leaves and informs the King that he cannot complete the task. He could not make the Siren fall in love. Hell, he had never fallen in love himself, for much like the Siren, he saw it too as some sort of a weakness. How would he recreate a feeling that he had never experienced. He could tell the King this. He could tell the King that the task was impossible. 

But with this comes several problems. One, he would be looked down upon in the eyes of the King. Two, he would lose business for his streak of success would come to a halt. Three, he would not be getting the pension. And four, my god, Jaemin just wanted to say he had killed a Siren. He looked at Renjun. Besides, to mark up such a beautiful face would be a sin to anyone else. How different could making someone fall in love be from casually flirting with women and men, as he did anyways?

Jaemin put one hand in his trouser pockets and another went up to run through his own hair as he looked nonchalantly around before settling his gaze back to Renjun, “You shouldn’t have told me all this.”

Renjun raised a brow, “Oh yeah?” 

“Yeah,” Jaemin nods, “Because you can expect me again tomorrow,” Jaemin says before walking back. 

The sun was beginning to set, and it would be an annoying journey to trek through the Dark Woods and back into the Kingdom’s edge with no light. He was closer to the Kingdom than he had thought, but his walk earlier was so winded and twisted that he was in here looking for this cove a lot longer than he needed to. 

Jaemin walked without really paying much attention to the Siren behind him. Renjun definitely was intimidating of a character simply because of what his existence entails, but without the ability to hurt him, Jaemin had nothing to fear. 

“Wait,” Renjun steps forward, voice irritable, only following Jaemin slightly, “What do you mean.”

Jaemin, before he goes into the hedges, turns around to the smaller with a bit of a smirk and a quirk of a brow to tell Renjun upfront, “I’m going to make you fall in love with me, Renjun.” He nods, “And when you do, well…” Jaemin smiles at this and clicks his tongue, “you already know what will happen.”

And with that, he makes his way into the Dark Woods again, leaving behind an angry, stunned, and utterly irritated Renjun.

  
  
  


To have a Siren fall in love with you, what does that even entail. Jaemin wonders this as he treks back through the Dark Woods. The pixies ask him to stay, being fond of him, yet he just brushes them away, not up for their antics at the moment. Night’s blanket enveloped the sky now, so he made quick work through the woods. 

Renjun was a mystifying creature for sure, and nothing as Jaemin had expected. The boy had looked so utterly  _ normal _ , but maybe that was the reason why travellers passing by never thought twice. Renjun gave them no reason to. 

Na Jaemin did not know much about love, but he knew that his history with women and men alike confessing their feelings for him attested for something. Although, he was sure that wasn’t love and more of infatuation, how different could it have been? 

The streets of the Kingdom was quiet at this hour, and it looked as magical as it always did. Twinkling stars and a bright moon casted over the pretty place. All of the flowers placed on people’s windowsills glowed brilliantly underneath the pale moonlight, and in the distance, Jaemin could see the palace. Somewhere up in there, the King sleeps. 

He turns away and enters his own home, a nice estate on the upper east side of the Kingdom, with a comfortable two stories and plenty of space for just him. A single person. He walks past the dozens of golden trinkets from his past missions and up the winding stairs that led to his bedroom. On top of his king sized duvet, he rested his eyes. 

He then dreamed of a mission but most of all, he dreamed mostly of its prize. 

Jaemin encounters Renjun again, purposely of course, as the Siren eats a peach plucked from a tree with golden leaves that hung over the cove’s blue waters. 

As Jaemin approached, he furrowed his brows, “I thought you ate humans.”

Renjun flitted his eyes to Jaemin and in annoyance, rolled them, “No, but if the opportunity ever arises, I will eat you.”

Jaemin teased as he stepped towards where the Siren was sitting, “Now that’s not how you treat your future lover, is it?”

The Siren looked at him incredulously and a storm brewed in his eyes as his hair turned the dark murky red once more, “I told you once. And I’ll tell you twice. You cannot just  _ make _ a Siren fall in love. Our hearts have been carved from stone from the moment we were born,” Renjun seethes, “So foolish mortal, give up now.”

Jaemin stands there and plays with the dagger in his hand, twisting it along the hilt, “Are you just going to keep calling me ‘mortal’?” He laughs, “Or will you ask for my name?”

“I don’t  _ care _ about your name,” Renjun squinted at him, “I’ll forget it within the century, along with all the other names of short lived mortals like yourself.”   
Jaemin laughs at this predisposition, but he offers his name anyways, “Na Jaemin.” 

Renjun looked up at him now. 

“That’s my name,” Jaemin tells him. 

A hint of recognition flashed through Renjun’s expression and he looked towards the water, “I’ve heard of you.”

“Oh?” Jaemin asks. 

“Word gets around in the Dark Woods,” Renjun says, skipping a stone across the waters, “You’ve killed countless beasts out here, haven’t you?”

“Minotaurs, fairies that had annoyed a Nobleman’s son, gremlins,” Jaemin begins listing, “I’ve had my fair share.”

Renjun shakes his head at this, “How much better are you than me, really?”

Jaemin shrugs at this and sits down. He can tell the Siren would rather him be elsewhere, “I never claimed to be.”

Renjun did not say anything to this, but rather, he just looked at the man who intruded on his space for a moment and then turned back towards the cove. 

“So, Siren,” Jaemin asks, “What’s up with the hair?”

Renjun turns towards him with a frown and then pats his head, which was the color brown at this point, “What about it?”

“Well,” Jaemin says in a way that made it obvious, “It changes color.”

“Oh,” Renjun replies as if he forgot not everyone’s hair did that, and he shrugged.

The Siren explains in a slight mumble, “Nothing comes without a price. For our immortality and strength, we give up love. In turn, our hair will always change color to match our moods. So that when we fall in love...people...people like you, will know.”

Jaemin takes note of this and raises a brow, “And what color might that be?”   
Renjun laughs and glares at Jaemin, “What makes you think I will tell you, idiot?” 

“It was worth a shot,” Jaemin shrugged, “So brown, what is that?”

Renjun mumbles, “Default. Neutral. I’m not feeling anything out of the ordinary.”

Jaemin nods, “Yellow?” He remembered at some point yesterday, the Siren’s hair had turned yellow.

“Usually, when something’s funny and I’m amused,” Renjun leans back on his arms. 

“When I met you, you had very light golden hair. How about that?” Jaemin asks. 

And at this, the Siren looks at him with sinister eyes, yet a sweet smile on his lips, “Hunger, Jaemin. That was hunger.”

“I thought you didn’t eat humans,” Jaemin said, not letting the comment intimidate him.

“I don’t,” Renjun humors. Ah,  _ so he was hungry for blood _ . 

Jaemin nods, “So you knew I was near.”

“The nymphs told me you were looking for me,” Renjun laughs, “I just figured it was another foolish knight seeking glory for my head.” And then he mutters angrily, “Not a foolish sellsword who cannot die.”   
“To be fair, I figured that you lived in a dark cave near choppy waters,” Jaemin reveals, “And I also thought you’d act a lot more seductive than you actually do. To be honest, I’m a little disappointed.”   
Renjun just stares at him incredulously, “ _ Disappointed _ ?” He exasperated, “Well that’s a first.”   
And then Renjun just drew his gaze away, “My seduction does not work on you. Why try?”   
“It does,” Jaemin chuckles, “Just not in a magical way.” He implied. 

Renjun looks at him with stunned eyes at the boldness, “Are you kidding me?”

Jaemin just looks at him, “What?” 

“You think you’re going to make me fall in love with you acting like a soulless flirt?” Renjun raises a brow in incredulity. 

Jaemin pulled his knees up and rested his arms on them, relaxing himself next to the Siren before yawning, “Well, what do you suggest I do, Renjun? Because if you have any tips for me, by all means say it.” Jaemin grins. 

Renjun just shakes his head and rolls his pretty eyes, “I wouldn’t know.” And then he mutters, “I wouldn’t know anything about love. Just that I can not feel it. Will not.”

Jaemin was quiet at that, head in thought. It was interesting. Here he was, in front of a creature who purposely steered far away from love for what could have been thousands of years, but he, Jaemin himself, was human and had the ability to love freely, and yet he didn’t. They were two sides of the same coin, one would say. 

“Have you met a Siren who has fallen in love?” Jaemin then asked for reference. 

Renjun laughs at this, and looks at him with sparkling eyes, “I’ve never met another Siren before at all.”

Jaemin pulled his brows together and lays back onto the pebbled ground, staring up at the sky, “Never? Were you born here?” 

Renjun tells him, but the sellsword could not tell if he was letting out a sigh or not, “Yes, I was born here.” 

Jaemin chuckles at this, “And so, you will die here. Ironic.”

Renjun shot him a look, “Very charming, Na Jaemin. Constantly reminding me of your fruitless mission will only stray you further from your goal.”

Jaemin just smiles, “If you truly believe what you say when you tell me it cannot be done, then it doesn’t matter what I say, does it?” 

Renjun opened his mouth to protest, but to do so would be to concede that it could be done, and so he stays quiet. 

The cove got quite lonely around this time, Jaemin noticed. It was just the two of them: a mortal and a Siren. He’d assumed that not many travellers would be passing through in the first place, much less in the afternoon when the midday sun could cause a weak footed wanderer to pass out. Any traveller would be resting at this time anyways. 

Even the birds did not chirp much here. Instead, the main sound that took over the terse atmosphere were the faint rustling of greenery and the gentle flow of water. 

“Doesn’t this get lonely?” Jaemin then asked out of boredom.

Renjun skips a stone across the surface of the cove’s water. It disappears underneath the surface after a couple skips. After so many years, he had gotten good at skipping rocks. The Siren doesn’t answer. However, this hair turns a pale shade of teal blue. 

Jaemin stares up at the equally blue skies, “What’s the point of immortality if it’s spent in one place forever? Forced to see the same trees, the same waters, the same everything?” He chuckles, “What’s the point?” 

Renjun pursed his lips, “The point is that we don’t have to suffer the pains that you humans have to pathetically endure,” He defends, “We do not suffer the burden of old age, destined to rot away after the age of fifty slowly. We do not suffer the burden of pain. No wound can kill us. No sickness can enter us.”

Jaemin closes his eyes, feeling a bit tired. He knew Renjun had no power to hurt him, so it brought him no discomfort closing his eyes. The sunlight surpassed his eyelids and he could see red veins underneath his skin. He wonders if Renjun sees gold veins when he does that. 

Jaemin speaks casually, “I think that a bit of suffering is worth it once you see the giant balloons of Cappadocia, or a sunset on the beach of the Sian Empire. Or drink until your liver is crying and you can see your ancestors,” Jaemin laughs, “Or go to sleep in your nice estate.” 

Jaemin couldn’t see him, but the Siren was listening to his words, unsure of whether he was envious or pitying for the short life. 

But if Renjun had replied, Na Jaemin hadn’t heard him. 

Underneath the daze-inducing sun, Jaemin lets himself drift off into an afternoon nap, unworried of the Siren who could harm just about anyone else, but not him. His mind clouds with the haze of exhaustion, and sleep overtook his mind as he settles down into his subconscious, where he then dreams of gold that dazzles and riches on a platter served to the King when this was all over. 

He wakes up to see that there was no longer a glaring bright sun directly in his eyes, making the veins pop red underneath his eyelids. He blinks his eyes open, and he was still in the position he had fallen asleep in except that when it was midday when he had closed his eyes, it was about sunset now, bordering on twilight. 

_ Fuck _ , he had been asleep for a while, and under the peaceful ruse of nature, he had not bothered to wake up even after hours. Renjun was not sitting near him anymore, and Jaemin pulled himself up off the pebble. He was sure his back was going to ache tonight when he got home from sleeping on a rough surface, and he rubs his neck. 

The Siren was at the water’s edge, twirling his feet making ripples in every direction. His back was turned to Jaemin, and he had seemingly not heard the man waking up, for he was still standing there playing with the water by himself as a form of entertainment in this lackluster place.

Jaemin cleared his throat, and the smaller turned around quickly. When he did, there was some sense of eagerness in Renjun’s eyes, as if he had been waiting for the man to wake up to say something. 

“Jaemin,” Renjun said with purposeful tone, “I was waiting for you to wake u-”

“Why didn’t you just poke me, then? Or waken me?” Jaemin laughs, still rubbing his neck. 

Renjun purses his lips, “I was doing some thinking.”

“Yeah?” Jaemin has one knee pulled up, still sitting, and he rests his right arm on it, “About what?”

“I want you to tell me about it,” Renjun then says, looking intently at Na Jaemin, the invincible stranger that keeps stumbling into his cove. Or at least, invincible to him. 

Jaemin tilted his head in confusion, “Tell you... about what?”

The Siren pursed its pretty lips, “About, you know, those balloons in Cappadocia,” He looked curious, “And those sunsets on the beaches in the Sian Empire. Things like that.”

Jaemin looks at him with a raised eyebrow, “You want me to tell you about my adventures?”

At this, Renjun got defensive and turned his head, hair switching to a shade of pale orange.  _ Embarrassment _ , Jaemin guesses. The Siren redacts his requests, “You know what, never mind.” He tersely spoke, “Forget abou-”

“No, no,” Jaemin laughs and pulls himself up off the ground slowly, as if not wanting to frighten the creature he was speaking to, and Renjun looks up at him with those pretty doe eyes, watching as Jaemin moves until he is next to him on the water’s edge, “I’ll tell you.”

Jaemin saw this as a good way to infiltrate the smaller, get the two of them comfortable with one another because as it was right now, the situation was tense. There were walls put up, since Renjun knew his intention and Jaemin was not quite shy about it either.

Na Jaemin knew that if he were to take off his necklace right now, then the Siren would not think twice to kill him. Maybe at least through this, he can ease the creature’s guard even by just a little bit. 

“But in return, you’ll have to tell me a story,” Jaemin requests, looking directly at the Siren. 

Renjun laughs at this, “I have no stories to tell.”

“You live forever, yet have no stories to tell?” Jaemin humors, “Once again, it’s a waste.”

Renjun shoots him a dirty look, “Quiet. Unless you want to hear stories of the many great warriors I’ve taken to the bottom of this cove.”

Jaemin shrugged, desensitized to death and ethics, “Tell me about them, then.”   
The Siren looked surprised at this, “You really are just a sellsword, aren’t you?”

Jaemin gives the creature a funny look, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Renjun calls him out, “You have no ethics. No morals. Stories like mine don’t make you uncomfortable. Your primary concern is to make money, and you don’t even care how. You don’t fight for loyalty, or the kingdom, or honor. Just yourself.”

Jaemin shakes his head, “Fuck loyalty, and fuck the King. As long as he pays me well, I’ll bring any head on a platter that he pleases,” The mercenary then looks over at Renjun, “In this world, the only person you can trust to always have your back is yourself. When it comes down to it, I’m going to choose my own well-being. It’s not selfishness. It’s survival of the fittest,” And then Jaemin gives the Siren a funny look, “You would understand, right? After all, you put yourself first too, don’t you? That’s the whole reason why you’re immortal.”

Renjun pursed his lips and looked out to where the twilight was settling in, “We aren’t too different, then.”

“No, we aren’t,” Jaemin affirms, “Now, what do you want to hear first? The time I killed a Chimera in my journeys to Mykonos? Or about the masquerade ball in Madrid?”

Renjun thinks about it before deciding, “Tell me about Mykonos.”

And so Jaemin settles down for a story. He tries to pull the memories out from his mind, but he’d be lying if he said that it was a bit hard to do so. Over the years, going on missions after missions with the sole intent of completing it and collecting his reward takes him out of the experience of the place itself. It was as if he was living just to get to the end of the day, where he can buy a pint of beer at the pub and go to sleep in his nice estate. 

Jaemin tells himself it isn’t uncommon. Many people he knew were like this, albeit in a different occupation. That’s what the mothers and fathers always told people. Do a job you may not care about that pays well, so that in your free time, you could afford to do what you  _ actually _ want to do. Be an apothecary they say. The town doctor. Even if you live each day looking forward to the end of it, at least you’d be paid well, they say. 

It wasn’t as if Jaemin didn’t enjoy his rogue lifestyle. It allowed him to travel, to dine lavishly, to drink lavishly, to keep himself company with lavish people. But it would be an utter lie to say he had not become desensitized to much. 

Still, he told his stories with as much detail as he can recall, describing the black sand beaches of Mykonos, stretching for miles until the eye could see no further. He described the wings of the Chimera, red like fire with eyes as golden as the ichor that dripped from the Gods. Jaemin tells Renjun about the Mykonos people, humble and kind but weary when night fell, as if they knew that the Chimera lurked the white stone streets searching for prey. 

Renjun listens intently, never having heard these kinds of stories before. He tried to look disinterested, Jaemin noticed, but the man could tell that Renjun was feeling  _ somethin _ g, for the color of his hair turned purple, a pale purple like that of Lavender. 

Jaemin was not sure what that color meant, but if nothing else, it was a sign that the Siren felt  _ something _ at the least. 

Renjun has his knees pulled up to his chest, and his head rested sideways on top of his knees as he listened to the strange stories from the strange man who had forcibly taken over his cove. He did not like the mortal one bit, and given the choice, Na Jaemin would be dead before he could even ask for mercy, but Renjun would be lying if he said the story didn’t interest him. 

“-and then I went cliff diving to relax. On the back side of Mykonos, there are white limestone cliffs that people can jump off of.”

“Just for fun?” Renjun asks. 

Jaemin nods, “Yeah, just for fun. The water was cold though. And deep. It was probably the deepest waters I’ve been in.”

Renjun places his chin on his palm, “No,” And then he points to the cove, “This would be the deepest water you’ve ever been in.”

Jaemin eyes it. He could tell the water got deeper past the first couple meters, but he would not have guessed it would be too incredibly deep, “Oh yeah?”

“Yeah,” Renjun eyes it, “You can find out if you want. Take that necklace off.”

Jaemin laughs, “I don’t think so, demon.”

“I didn’t think that would work anyways,” Renjun rolls his fluttering eyes. 

The mercenary smiles at this. So the Siren  _ does  _ know how to play around, even if it’s a little bit. He asks, “Your turn, Siren. Tell me a story.”

“A story, hm,” Renjun thoughts on it, eyes trailing the disappearing sun, “Did they ever teach you about Byron the Third in school?”

Jaemin nods, “Yeah. He was that one conqueror, wasn’t he? Took over the Gaen Kingdom, enslaved all of its men and stole all of their wives, right?”

“Mmhm,” Renjun nods, “Horrible person, right? Do you remember what happened to him?”

Jaemin tries to recall, “I’m not sure,” And then remembered, “Oh yeah, he disappeared right? No one knows what happened to him.”

Renjun laughs, “Not no one.”

Jaemin looks at the smaller with wide eyes, interested, “No way. Damn, you’re telling me he’s…” Jaemin points towards the cove’s waters, “there?”

Renjun nods, “That was one of my prouder…” he tries to find a euphemism for the next word but couldn’t, “kills.”

Jaemin chuckles at this revelation, “Tell me how it happened.”

Renjun was not used to telling stories, but he tries to anyways. As he does so, his hair turns back to brown, the neutral color. In fact, the Siren was not particular used to talking with anything but the occasional pixie or nymph that flies through. 

Even then, the pixies were only here to spread gossip that was happening around the Dark Woods and sometimes about the incompetent King Leon. He never associated with mortals, and if it wasn’t for Na Jaemin, he would never have chosen to. 

Mortals were a waste of time, for he would forget their existence anyways as his neverending life continues as they die off. But as he was here with a mortal that he could not harm or make go away, he might as well. 

Renjun told him, trying to remember, having been such a long time ago, the details. Jaemin was listening, quite interested at how this immortal creature with so much time in their hands had spent the millenia. Renjun had insight to things that Jaemin only ever heard of through second hand stories, and so he listens now to the beautiful Siren. Even with the enchanted pendant on his chest, Jaemin finds Renjun’s beauty absolutely alluring. 

When Renjun finishes telling his tale, Jaemin felt satisfied. 

“Do you ever feel bad about what you do?” Jaemin asks. 

Renjun snorts, “Jaemin, if I allowed myself to feel bad over every innocent man I have killed, then I would have walked myself out of this cove and died a long time ago.”

_ Ah, right _ . Jaemin had forgotten that Sirens could also die if it strayed too long from its host body of water, “What’s the longest you can leave this place?”   
Renjun shrugs, “I don’t know. I’ve never tried.”

“You’ve never tried,” Jaemin deadpans him.

“Nope,” Renjun affirms, “Nor do I plan to. I’m perfectly happy being alive and  _ immortal _ .”

“But are you?” Jaemin doubts him, and Renjun gives him a look. 

“Go home,” Renjun tells him then, not too seriously, but also Jaemin could tell that the Siren was getting tired of him for today. 

So Jaemin looks at the sky. It was getting dark, and he probably needed to go home anyways, and he picks himself up off the ground, “Expect me tomorrow.” 

Renjun rolls his eyes as he stands up and heads in the water, “I’ll pray you get in an accident on your way here, then.”

And Jaemin laughs. 

  
  
  


It turns out that the next day, Na Jaemin had  _ not _ gotten into an accident, for he showed up at the cove around the afternoon in clean condition. 

As he arrived, he saw the Siren disappear underneath the surface of the cove, but dragging another body with it. Jaemin furrowed his brows and jogged briskly towards the water’s edge, hoping to catch a sight of the Siren in action with its unlucky victim, but he saw nothing but darkness where Renjun was headed. 

The past two days, with this one being the third, Jaemin had found Renjun’s personality to be so somewhat  _ normal _ at times, that he forgets just how dangerous the creature actually is. Renjun was not the monster to play with. Jaemin twiddles the sabertooth sitting around his neck and sits down on a rock near the cove to wait. 

Finally, he sees the Siren emerging out of the water. For the first time, it felt like Jaemin was truly seeing Renjun as an actual Siren. He emerged from the water and stepped out, as if the water offered no resistance against those slender legs. It flowed smoothly past him without any effort. Renjun’s eyes glowed golden for a moment, as if replenished, before turning back to that light hazel brown. 

On his body, flowing fabric graced his petite frame in elegance, and nothing looked wet at all despite just coming out of the water. Jaemin just looked at the demon, not sure whether he was mesmerized or terrified.

Renjun then stands in front of him, as Jaemin stills sits casually on the rock. Na Jaemin wore a black blouse that was only halfway buttoned, tucked into trousers. With the sabertooth necklace as a final touch, he looked undeniably handsome, and he swore he could see Renjun giving him a onceover as he approached. But now, the Siren just stands there.

“Wow, I actually drank that water,” Jaemin finally speaks, looking at Renjun and then looking at the cove’s water behind the boy. 

At this, the Siren’s hair turns pale yellow and he bursts out laughing. Even the sound of that was enticing, Jaemin thought. He truly was a Siren, capable of making any action beautiful.

Renjun asks, “You just saw me drag a man under to his death and the only thing you have to say is that you can’t believe you’ve drunken that water?” He laughs. 

Jaemin shrugs. He was not going to reveal to the creature that he had thought of more, and would not admit the Siren intimidated him to a certain extent, “Yes.”

Renjun shook his perfect head, “You’re an interesting mortal, Na,” He said, “So how do you plan to bother me today? So far, I can’t say your mission of making me fall in love with you is doing well.”

Jaemin grinned at this, “We’ll see about that.”

“No we won’t,” Renjun rolled his eyes and then sat near the rock Jaemin rested on, “Tell me a story.”

Jaemin hummed, “Alright. What do you want to hear?”

Renjun looks out to the cove’s waters, “Anything.”

It was quite broad, but Jaemin, as daft as he sometimes could be, understood. The Siren had no experience to call forth, no requests to make out of simple inexperience. Jaemin could make up all sorts of things about the world, and the creature would believe him. But he didn’t. 

Instead, he tells Renjun of how beautiful Atlantis was, and how when the sunset comes, the whole Kingdom submerges underwater. He tells him about the people there, and how they lived. 

“How can the people breath?” Renjun asks.

Jaemin smiles as he explains, “An air bubble, right below the surface surrounding the kingdom.”

At this, Renjun nods, understanding, “What were you there for?”

Jaemin tries to think about it, pausing, “I can’t quite recall. It wasn’t anything too memorable.”

“Not memorable?” Renjun laughs at this, “You get to go to an underwater kingdom, and you don’t find that memorable?”

Jaemin shrugs, “Places just become places at some point, Renjun.”

The Siren in question frowns, “Interesting.”

A moment of silence pass between them, but then Jaemin just smiles, “Your turn.”

“Hm,” The beautiful creature looks up towards the sky, “What would you like to hear?”

Jaemin just gives him the same response he was given earlier, “Anything.”

“Anything?” Renjun raised a pretty brow.

“Yeah.”

“You know Rokan the Slayer, right?” Renjun asks. 

“Of course,” Jaemin answers with an excited flame in his eyes, “He was my hero growing up. I read his stories at least every night before sleeping,” The man looks happy to have remembered, “A dragon slayer, a war general, a beast hunter. He was my childhood hero. But then he…” And then gave the Siren the most distraught look, “Renjun, don’t tell me you killed him.”

The Siren laughed at the look of horror on Jaemin’s face, hair turning pale yellow, “As a matter of fact, I did.”   
Jaemin playfully unsheathes his long dagger and stands up, brandishing it to Renjun, “Alright, now I  _ have _ to make sure I kill you, Renjun, for killing my childhood icon.”

Renjun’s pretty face bursted out into a funny grin at this playful gesture and slightly serious words, “Let me tell you, Jaemin. Rokan was  _ not _ as cool in real life as he probably sounded in all of those stories.”

“Oh yeah?” The man asked, interested, “Tell me.”

And so Renjun tells him of his experience with the historical figure, exciting Jaemin much so. Na Jaemin was not afraid to admit that even when not under the influence of the Siren’s magic, Renjun was a perplexedly interesting being. The Siren had its many odd stories, all of which easily made Jaemin laugh and want to stay for maybe another few minutes with the creature. 

He could tell that Renjun doesn’t get this opportunity to talk to people much, for as cold of a front as Renjun tries to make himself out to be, the Siren would slip out of character when he would get excited talking about some story, relaying it to Jaemin. 

Even though at this point, they were nothing more but nuisance enemies to one another and Jaemin was sure that the Siren would kill him instantly given the chance, there was one thing that Jaemin was sure about if nothing else. This was a start. If nothing else, then Renjun finds solace in his ability to share experiences with Jaemin, and if Na Jaemin could latch onto that, and ride that wave out for a while longer, then maybe this mission wouldn’t be so impossible after all. 

Jaemin expects it to be boring after a while, sitting here in this cove with nowhere else to go, but if he was being honest, he was shocked when the sun began to set and he had not even noticed it. One moment, he was listening to the Siren’s story. The next, he replied with a story of his own, laughing as he recalls some memory of a drunken bar fight in the East Indies. And then the next, the Siren and the Sellsword were arguing about whether the famed historical Prince Tehto deserved to have been killed.  _ But he helped the poor _ , Jaemin argued. Renjun had rolled his eyes,  _ He slaughtered an entire village. _ At some point, over the petty argument, Jaemin unsheathed his dagger and threatened to just take the Siren’s head then and there. 

“I can’t die, you idiot,” Renjun sneers at the playing mercenary. 

“Yes, but your head can grow back slowly,” Jaemin humors.

“I’m not a lizard,” Renjun narrows his eyes, “Your dagger can nick me, but it could never cut through my bones. Besides, you’ve gone up in points the past few days. If you behead me for fun, you’ll drop all the way down again, Na.”

“Hold up a second,” Jaemin backtracked with a grin, “So you like me now? We’re friends?”

“Woah,” Renjun put up his pretty arms in an ‘X’ formation, “Who said all of that? Now why would I be friends with someone who’s very open about trying to kill me?”

“But you said I went up in points,” Jaemin frowned.

“Yeah, from negative 100 to a negative 97,” Renjun grins, “I’m not being friends with my assassin, Jaemin.”

“Oh come on, don’t think of it like that,” Jaemin joked around.  _ Please, you don’t even have friends _ , Jaemin thought to himself, but then realized: he didn’t either. 

“Fine,” Renjun crosses his slender legs. Jaemin’s eyes followed the movement. Renjun’s legs looked like they were as smooth as silk, and Jaemin had to blink himself away. The Siren shrugged and spoke, “I’ll think of you as my personal story teller, then. If you’re going to be here every day, I guess you can make yourself useful.”

Jaemin repeats this playfully, “Make myself  _ useful _ ? Is this what my role has been reduced to?”

Renjun looked satisfied with himself, “Yes.”

Na Jaemin shook his head, “I’m hurt.”

“Good,” The Siren beams, “If I can’t hurt you physically, then this is the least I can do.”

Jaemin just tsked at this, and in his head, he honestly could not be sure whether or not Renjun had actually been serious or joking. He wouldn’t be surprised if it was the former option. 

Conversation went like that much of the time. It was a mixture of not so playful bantering and then some intense detailed storytelling. People could tell of the Siren’s evils all they wanted to, but Jaemin could not deny that one of Renjun’s most redeemable traits was that he was a very attentive listener. As much as they argued, and not in the playful joking way, but in the very serious threatened-to-amputate-each-other way, when it came time to share some experience, Renjun listened with wide eyes and lavender hair. At this point, Jaemin guesses that the color meant he was interested. 

“Does the lavender mean you’re interested?” Jaemin asks in the middle of his tale about the desert of Yunal. 

Renjun pats his head, “Ah, lavender? It means I’m excited.”

Jaemin finds himself smiling at this, finding that fact a bit endearing, “Excited, huh. You don’t hear these stories very often, do you?”

Renjun shakes his head, his hair now turning pale orange from embarrassment, “I don’t. You know this, I’ve told you.”

“Yeah, I know, but,” Jaemin shrugs, “I think it’s interesting, seeing how you get excited over these small things.”   
Renjun tilts his beautiful head, hair turning back to its neutral color, “What do you mean?”

Jaemin looks at the space between his legs, “I don’t know. It makes me think about how I take some of this shit for granted.”

“Don’t pity me,” Renjun accused, “You’re the mortal one. Subject to death, p-”

“Death, pain, disease, I know, I know,” Jaemin chuckles, “You don’t need to repeat yourself.”

And then, the Siren sat back. 

Jaemin then notices, surprised as mentioned before, “It’s getting dark.”   
“Is it?” Renjun looks towards the sky, noticing that the sun was on its descent. 

“Yeah,” Jaemin replies, still looking up at the sky, “I didn’t realize I was here for that long.”

“Well,” Renjun tells him, “Time flies by when you’re busy bothering an immortal being and taking up all of their personal space.”

Jaemin laughs at this, “You’ve had your personal space for thousands of years now, Renjun. This might be good for you.”

Renjun raises a brow at the mercenary, “You think so, huh.”

“Just a hunch,” Jaemin replies then looks towards the Dark Woods, “It’ll be dark soon. I should head back.”

“You have a curfew?” Renjun eyes the grown man.

“No,” Jaemin shook his head, “It’s just that the Dark Woods get darker at night. It makes it hard to see.”

Renjun tells him, “Just call on the pixies. They’ll show you the way.”

“Yeah?” Jaemin asked.

“Yes,” The Siren tells him, “There’s no rush.”

Jaemin side-smiles at the creature, “You want me here?”

“Not exactly,” Renjun tries to set things straight but he laughs, “But I  _ would _ like to hear about that cursed temple in Shyzu that you mentioned earlier.”

“Do you now,” Jaemin chuckles at the requests and scoots himself a bit closer with the intention of letting the Siren hear him better, “Well, I guess I’m staying for another hour then, huh.”

Renjun shrugs, “I guess you are. But don’t get the wrong idea, mortal. I still would kill you instantly given the opportunity.”

Jaemin shakes his head, “I’m sure you would.” He wasn’t lying. He knew that Renjun would. 

So Jaemin stays for, actually, another two hours. Not intentionally, but it just happened that way. He told Renjun about his journeys in Shyzu, and the boy asks him for plenty of details. What the food was like. What the people were like. And more. Jaemin tries his best to answer the Siren’s curious questions, but falls short on many of them. 

The other hour was just small little shenanigans of conversation that naturally flowed. It was obvious to Na Jaemin that Renjun was quite excited to finally have someone to talk to, even if it was someone he hated, by the way Renjun would get too estactic hearing a story or telling one of his own. 

At night, the water of the cove almost seemed to glow. Very faintly, but noticeable enough. It was enchanting for sure, and the greenery and flowers that surrounded the cove looked as if it also glowed fluorescently. Underneath the water’s surface, Jaemin could occasionally see a small fish that left a trail of neon as it swam by. 

When Jaemin finally leaves, he does what Renjun says, and calls on the pixies for help. As a last look at the beautiful Siren, Jaemin turns to see the creature disappear underneath the water’s surface, but he knew. He knew that when tomorrow comes and he arrives once more, Renjun will be there again. The pixies kept chattering in his ear as they led him back out of the Dark Woods, and Jaemin was trying his best to indulge the small creatures in some light conversation, but if he was being honest, his mind was elsewhere. It was on a plan. A new plan to complete this task, and tomorrow, he will test it. Tomorrow, he will put it in action. 

  
  
  
  


“Siren,” Jaemin calls out as he approaches. Renjun sits on the water’s edge today, clothed in a beautiful baby blue robe that split at the thighs, so that it revealed the Siren’s perfectly smooth legs. Jaemin tries not to let himself stare at it for too long.

Without looking over at the sellsword, Renjun calls out, “Mortal.”

Jaemin snickers under his breath at this, “You think you’re clever, don’t you.”

“I  _ am _ clever,” Renjun rolls his eyes and then notices something that Jaemin was holding in his hands, “What do you have there?”   
“This?” Jaemin grinned as he held it up, “It’s just a book from my house,” 

He tapped the book on his hand and looked around, “I just wanted you to have some visual references when I tell you my stories, so it doesn’t just all happen in your imagination.” 

Jaemin says this before sitting down, and slid the book over the smooth pebbled bank and over to the Siren, who tentatively picks it up and holds it in his arms. Na Jaemin felt a little awkward, for he had never been the type to give gifts, so it was strange to wait for a reaction, hoping it would be a happy one. This awkward feeling only reaffirmed to him why he had never given gifts or openly showed empathy towards people. 

The wait was uncomfortable, but then Na Jaemin sees the Siren’s hair turn a shade of peach, as the creature speaks, “I’ve never been given a gift before.”

At this, Jaemin raises his eyebrows genuinely, and he feels a light but happy sensation in his chest as he watches the Siren hold the book in his arms. It was endearing, and the mercenary finds himself smiling without having to force it. 

“What’s peach?” Jaemin asks, gesturing to Renjun’s hair. 

The Siren’s face blushed the same color as his hair and he shrugged, “I don’t know. I haven’t seen peach on myself before.”

_ Interesting _ , Jaemin thought, but he just continues to smile at the creature, whose appearance was so delicate at the moment that no one could have ever guessed it was beyond deadly, “Let’s open the book, shall we?”   
Renjun nods at this, and Jaemin scoots himself closer to the Siren, before turning to a reference picture in the book and began telling the inexperienced creature more about the wonders of the world, reciting stories he had completely forgotten about and taken for granted. 

Seeing how it seems to light up Renjun’s eyes, Jaemin found himself maybe even wanting to tell them. And definitely wanting to hear stories in return, for the Siren’s voice was beautiful and excited when he speaks. And it’s been a while since Jaemin actually sat down and listened to someone, only given the opportunity to now since he  _ had _ to. 

He sat at a distance, not wanting to get too close to the Siren, or else it might make the creature uncomfortable and more aware of what Jaemin was trying to do. However, what he was trying to do  _ now _ was simple: make Renjun his friend first. If he could do that, then making the Siren fall in love would not be as hard. But first, he had to make the Siren his friend. That was his new plan. 

He could tell Renjun was cautious of him, for he had made his intentions clear. The Siren would not believe him easily if he were to try to straight up woo the creature. It had to be believable. They had to be friends first.

Maybe in the back of jaemin’s mind, he knew it was wrong to do this. But he went through the motions of logic. First of all, he had never cared for ethics, which was the whole reason why he was a sellsword in the first place. It wasn’t about the process. It was about the result. Secondly, Jaemin tells himself that Renjun deserved this, for all the lives that the creature has sunken to the depths, even though Jaemin had a feeling the boy did not have much of a choice. So he just pushed down the moral dilemma and continued to be near the Siren until time flies by too quickly for him to grasp.

Somewhere along the way, Jaemin had also let himself get caught up by the company that he had too forgotten what he was here for. Throughout the day, no one had come to the cove, and Jaemin figures it was because the Dark Woods had a reputation by now. Only fools like himself, hungry for money, would dare come in like this. 

And so, the whole day, Jaemin had the Siren to himself. He hears the creature laugh at one point. Not a sarcastic one, but a real one from a joke he had made. And then, Jaemin found himself laughing along. It was a nice sound. And it made Jaemin forget who exactly he was talking to. It made him forget that they stood as enemies at the current moment.

It was when the sun was about to completely dip below the horizon, and the sky was a burst of pink and orange ink droplets that Jaemin thinks to ask. 

“Renjun,” The mercenary says. 

The Siren hums in response, acknowledging he heard.

Jaemin speaks, “In the myths, Sirens are supposed to sing, aren’t they? It’s their song that lures in sailors?”

Renjun grins to himself at this, while looking down at the space between his legs, “Yes, we can sing. It’s a little outdated, but you’re not wrong.”

“Really?” Jaemin is curious, “I want to hear it.”

Renjun laughs, “You want to hear me sing?”

Jaemin nods. 

“It won’t have the same effect,” Renjun says, then gestures at the neck, “With that necklace being on.”

Jaemin just shakes his head with a smile at the Siren’s obvious attempt to get him to take it off, “I’m sure it’ll still sound beautiful, if the legends are to speak for anything.”

At the comment, Renjun’s hair turns peach again, and Jaemin takes a guess.  _ Shy _ ? But it would also be a plethora of other things, so he’ll just wait for another instance. 

“I’ll sing for you,” Renjun offers, “But in return, y-”

“I’m not taking this off,” Jaemin laughs while thumbing the sabertooth. 

Renjun rolls his pretty eyes, “I was going to  _ say _ , in return, you show me more of these,” Renjun holds up the book. 

And Jaemin just nods willingly, “Deal.” He would not mind it at all. Renjun would put it more into use than he would, and besides, it was, he admits, a little nice to see how excited it had made the Siren. 

It was quiet for a moment, and he could mostly hear the crickets sound and the fluttering of wings occasionally. The water of the cove was also decently loud, but he was waiting. 

When Renjun finally sings, Jaemin holds onto the sabertooth necklace to make sure it was still there, because he swears that it would have had the same effect on him if it was off. 

The Siren’s song was absolutely beautiful, and the sweet voice that dripped like the finest nectar flowed into his ears and diluted his mind with euphoria. It was like the sweet, sweet, song crept its way into his soul and showed it desires that he had never noticed before. A voice so delicate and soft, yet controlled and pretty. Renjun sang some folk song that sounded almost a bit celtic, and although it was never Jaemin’s taste in music, right then it was. It made him curious to think: if with the protective charm on, he felt this swayed by the Siren’s song, then without it on, anyone and everyone would have been gonewithin the minute. He was mesmerized.

When Renjun finishes, the Siren looks over to Jaemin to see what he thought. 

But Jaemin was too stunned for a moment to say anything. 

The Siren’s hair turns peach again, which confirmed to Jaemin in his mind that it was  _ shyness _ . Renjun jokes to clear the silence, “Well, this is the first time someone had survived my song.”

Na Jaemin, as much of a deceiving and moraless liar he was, could not lie when he said this, “Honestly, if that was the last thing I heard before I died, I would not be complaining.”

Renjun laughed, “That powerful, huh.”

“Quite so,” Jaemin still stares at the beautiful creature in awe, “That was beautiful, Renjun.”

The Siren pursed his lips and looks down, “Thank you.” 

And then Jaemin chuckles, “Damn, you’re dangerous.”

The being in question raises a brow, face illuminated by the gorgeous twilight, “You just realize this now?”

Jaemin shakes his head, “Just the extent.”

Renjun looks at him seriously, eyes holding a little edge in them, “There’s a reason they say to stay out of these woods, Jaemin. You were a fool to enter.”

Jaemin nods at this while his lips draw a relatively straight line that curved slightly up on one end, his hands clasped together on his knees, “I never listened to what other people say anyways.” And then, he pulled himself up to his feet, brushing off any dust or dirt that caught onto his trousers. 

The Siren looked up at him with those moonlit doe eyes, and Jaemin knew that anyone would have lusted over the sight if not for the context. 

“Maybe this time, you should have,” Renjun tells him.

But Jaemin shakes his head no, grabbing his satchel, “On the contrary, I’m quite glad I didn’t.”

“Glad?” Renjun gives him a look.

Jaemin nods as he walks backwards towards the woods, “So far this has been one of my more enjoyable tasks, Renjun. I think I enjoy you.” And he wasn’t particularly lying either. Renjun was definitely an enigma. All of the other creatures he had been tasked to take on, all have just about fit their exact image. Chimeras were evil, blood thirsty. Werewolves were feral, hungry. 

But Renjun. Renjun, the Siren, was complex. The Siren felt cursed. It was unlike other creatures he had encountered. 

“Enjoy me?” Renjun only deepens that look, as he questions Jaemin’s wording. 

Jaemin nods again, “Yes. And in time, Renjun, I think you’ll come to enjoy me too.”

And with that, the mercenary heads back into the woods, leaving behind a slightly frustrated, slightly confused Siren sitting at his cove. The pixies lead him out of the forest once more, and when he dons his house tonight, and he lays in his bed with his eyes closed. 

He had been spending so much of his day, almost all of it, in the mystical cove that being back in the kingdom when night fall felt strange. It was such a different environment, that the Siren and its cove sometimes didn’t even feel real when he came home. The cove, with its glowing waters and absolutely stunning but guarded Siren. 

As he closes his eyes now, he swears he can still hear it. He can still hear its beautiful sound, stuck in his head like a dream he cannot shake off. He still hears the Siren’s Song, fluttering in his ear and not wanting to leave. 

And maybe this was when he realized that on his way to seducing the Siren, he needed to make sure he keeps focus. Because the mission was simple. Kill the Siren. And Jaemin was a one-track man, so kill the Siren he will do. 

He only needed time. 

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's kind of slow right now, but next chapter will pick up !   
> I hope it's alright, so far <3 i love you, and ty for reading !
> 
> love, strawberrysummers


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 20k words ahead, in case you are busy & don't have time!
> 
> song: Desert Rose by Lolo Zouai

* * *

A hazy light flooded the cove and created visible streams of a soft yellowish orange through some of the forest canopy that surrounded parts of the water. It was quiet as the evening approached as they knew it would, for the sun was saying its farewells to the East and began its descent in the West, leaving behind a trail of glowing light in its departure. 

Sitting on the bank of the lagoon, Jaemin puts himself in Renjun’s company once more, as he had continued to do for a little bit now. He knew that his consistent presence at the cove, which beforehand belonged only to the mystical Siren, likely annoyed the smaller. He could tell by the way Renjun’s hair turns a dark red for a couple minutes every time he arrives on the scene. It would die down to a neutral brown after a bit, and if Na Jaemin’s stories were interesting enough for the smaller, then Jaemin might see another color. Lavender perhaps. Sometimes a pale yellow. But not as often as he'd like. 

“-have to be kidding me,” Renjun says with an incredulous expression in response to one of Jaemin’s odd tales, “There’s no way that happened.”

Jaemin smirks with the shake of a head, “It absolutely did. I have the scar to show for it,” He said before stretching his shirt across his left shoulder to show a jagged scar from a Harpy attack a couple years back. 

“Well shit,” Renjun tsked, eying the jagged mark that interrupted the toned and even expanse of Jaemin’s skin. When he was done, the Siren then laid down on the pebble, looking up at the cloudy skies above. 

Jaemin follows his movements. He looks at the Siren’s undeniably beautiful features, from the curve of his lip corners to the long lashes that fluttered when he blinks. The mercenary wonders how the Gods could have put a monster underneath the facade. It was almost a disservice to make a creature so mesmerizing to be so dangerous. But to him, to Jaemin, Renjun was powerless against him, and he palms the sabertooth charm that dangled around his neck to remind him this. 

They were still enemies, there was nothing that seemed to change that. Sure, they conversed, and to Jaemin’s surprise, they conversed quite well and had unexpectedly good compatibility, but the subtext of the predicament they were in left much to be desired. 

No matter how many times that Renjun gets excited during a conversation or how many times it feels like Jaemin was making a little progress on the Siren, the boy still held him at a distance with his sharp tongue, conniving comments, and consistent reminder that he knew what Jaemin was here for. 

At least on Jaemin’s end, the man put up a front that he genuinely cares about their little situation, and maybe sometimes he does. But sometimes he doesn’t. Sometimes, he cares about what Renjun has to say: his stories and tales. He listens well and even is curious to hear more about the mysterious and lethal creature.

But other times, he sees the Siren only as a means to get to the end goal. But when he feels that way, he does not let it show, for he needed Renjun to think that he cared. He needed Renjun to trust him, and open up to him.

This was the first time in one of his paid quests that Na Jaemin had to explicitly interact and make a connection with his victim. In the past, it was all either kill orders or tracking down a subject. They left the talking and communications to the diplomats, not ethic lacking sellswords like him. But now, for the very first time, he was making direct contact with the object he was trying to take out. And to be matters worse, Renjun wasn’t nearly as intolerable and unlikeable as he could have been for an uptight, immortal creature with a disdain against short lived mortals like himself. Still intolerable and unlikeable, but not nearly as much. 

Still, it was frustrating. Half of the time, it didn’t matter if Jaemin felt disdain and dislike towards the Siren, for it seemed as if Renjun felt that way too. The Siren may talk to him, and may confide in him, but Renjun did not seem to want his company for anything other than that. Just like Jaemin was using the boy as a tool to get his reward, Renjun was using him as a vessel of stories to hear experiences from that he had never got to have.

In a way, they were using each other to get what each one of them wants individually.

After a few moments of silence, Renjun tells him in a nonchalant voice, “Alright, you’ve told me the stories. You can leave now.”

Na Jaemin raises a brow. If nothing else, that confirmed Renjun’s intention for him, to be nothing more than a vessel of experiences. But he decides to test it anyways for confirmation. 

He asks the Siren, who had its eyes closed, Jaemin’s voice relaxed, “Do you only use my company for the stories?”

At this, Renjun opened his eyes at this and propped himself up on his elbow, looking up at the handsome mercenary through his pretty fringe as his hair turns a pale yellow and he smiles with no humor in it, “Don’t you only use  _ my _ company for your money?”

The mercenary just stares at him.  _ Touche _ . 

Renjun tilts his head slightly to the side and smiles slightly, “Do you think I will forget why you’re here, Na? Just because I tolerate you for your stories does not mean we’re more than adversaries, understood?”

Jaemin raises his brow at the condescending tone, but Renjun does not flinch. 

“Do you think I can’t tell what you’re doing? With the whole trying-so-hard-to-be-nice facade? You think that you are clever, don’t you? Using  _ me? _ ” The Siren laughs at this, “Let’s get one thing straight here. I am using  _ you _ . And beyond that, we are nothing,” Renjun tells him cold heartedly. 

His hair stayed brown. He truly did feel nothing. 

And Jaemin thinks that is when he comes to a realization. The most coldhearted of people are not the ones who act out, the ones who treat you with absolute demise and hatred. The most coldhearted of people are the ones who could not care less, the ones who don’t even care to act angry at his existence because they simply do not bother, the ones who can have days of conversation with a person and still say they are nothing, the ones like Renjun. 

Jaemin lets out a breathe and shakes his head, laughing with little humor, “You really are heartless.”

Jaemin knew that he was in no position to talk. It wasn’t as if he was the most sympathetic person himself, but he kind of liked provoking the smaller like this. He wanted to see the hair color change. He wanted to make Renjun feel  _ something _ . Because to feel something is to care: whether it be a little or a lot. 

Renjun just smiles at him now, “That’s right. And don’t think for a second that I wouldn’t kill you with no hesitation given the chance.”

Jaemin does not back off from fear, but instead, he drops the front for a moment, leans in closerm and unsheathes a smaller blade from his belt. The Siren looks straight at him unwaveringly and Jaemin is only mere inches away. He presses the tip and knicks at Renjun’s skin, causing a tiny trickle of golden ichor to fall before the wound closed up, and then the mercenary says with ease, “Don’t think I wouldn’t either.”

The Siren holds his gaze, and there is something burning amidst them. It’s a mixture of hate and challenge, and it simmers in the space between the two. Jaemin notices this: the mood of the situation can change as quickly as a light switch when it came to Renjun. One moment they could be having a seemingly-friendly exchange, and the next, they could be like this. 

He’s never had someone challenge him emotionally before, but he admits it’s an interesting game.

And then, Jaemin leans backwards and looks over at the beautiful creature, “With that in mind, I like your spirit Renjun,” Jaemin gives him an amused look, “We’re similar.”

Renjun snorts but there was no humor in his tone, “We are not similar, morta-”

“Oh, but I think we are,” Jaemin insists, switching his body until he has both hands clasped in front of him and he stares intensely back into the Siren’s attractive eyes, “Both a little heartless. Both a little set in our ways. Huh? No? You don’t think so? Are you not just as selfish as I am? Are you not just as desensitized as I am? Are you not as immoral as I am?” 

Renjun says nothing. 

Jaemin continues with a small smirk at the end, “Can’t we hate each other and still be friends?”

At this, the Siren just gives him a look, “I don’t  _ have _ friends.”  _ Nor would someone be friends with their assassin. _

“I don’t either,’ Jaemin smiles, “We can be each other’s firsts.”

“What kind of friend intends to kill the other,” Renjun shoots him a distasteful gaze.

“You tell me,” Jaemin responded, making the Siren remember that he  _ also _ wanted to kill the mercenary. This was no one sided rope that he was tugging. 

“So, what,” Renjun just rolls his eyes, “You want us to be friends so we can play this game of push and pull until one of us dies?”

Jaemin sits back and thinks about it. That essentially was his plan, but to hear that the Siren was smart enough to not only see through it but twist it into some sort of a dangerous game made the creature much more interesting. Confidence dripped from the lips of the Siren, and Jaemin couldn’t help but be lured in by it.

“If you want to put it that way, then yes,” Jaemin smiles.

Renjun taps his nails, “Good luck then. I’m not interested.”

“I don’t think it will matter if you’re interested or not, Renjun,” Jaemin insists, “I think with the amount of time we’ll be spending with each other, you’ll have no choice but to at least find a friend in me.”

The Siren looked murderous, and his dark red hair showed it, “You’re quite cocky for a short lived mortal.”

“So they say,” Jaemin admits.

Renjun looks at him for a hot minute and then huffs, laying down on the pebbled ground, “Whatever. I don’t care. Do as you want.” 

At this, the mercenary moves over until he was right next to the Siren and then lays down beside him, “In that case, what I  _ want _ to do is lay next to you and have a conversation.”

The Siren sighs, but he doesn’t move, “A conversation.” He states blandly.

“Yes,” Jaemin confirms, “You know, the things that friends have.”

“We’re not friends,” Renjun monotonously says.

“Humor me,” Na Jaemin tells him, “Tell me something.”

“Pardon?” Renjun asks in response to the broad imperative.

“Tell me something,” Jaemin requests, “Anything. Do you have a birthday?”

Renjun is quiet for a couple seconds, before rolling his eyes and answering, “No.”

“No?” Jaemin asks curiously, “So do you not know how old you are?”

Renjun shakes his head, “I just know that I’ve been around for a long time.”

“Oh…” Jaemin responds, and then clears his throat, “Tell me something else then. What do you eat?”

“What do I eat?” Renjun laughs at the strange question, “What kind of question is that?”

“A reasonable one,” Comes the reply, “You’re immortal, aren’t you? You don’t even need food, but I saw you eating a golden peach the other day.”

The Siren sees this as a fair point, “Ah, yes. I don’t  _ have _ to eat, but it’s still a pleasure when the food is good. I like fruit. But the only things that grow around here are peaches and apples.” 

“Wait, so aside from that, you haven’t had other food?” Jaemin asks incredulously.

Renjun shakes his head, “I can’t exactly leave the cove, so it’s not like a jelly sandwich will stumble into these woods.”

Na Jaemin simply blinked at the Siren and exasperated, “I don’t know what you even enjoy about living, Renjun. I’m going to bring you cake tomorrow.”

At this, the hair turns lavender and Renjun looks at him with pretty eyes, “Cake?”

Jaemin chuckles at the reaction, “Yes. I can bring you anything else you’d want to try too.”

“Hm, maybe having you desperately try to be nice to me isn’t so bad,” Renjun humored, “I should take advantage of this, shouldn’t I.”

The sellsword laughs, “You can if you want to. So, what else do you want to try?”

At this, the Siren thinks about it for a moment then shrugs, “Surprise me.”

“Will do,” Jaemin obliges.

“How about you? What do you eat?” 

Now this was a rather funny question, because to ask a mortal this would be like treating food as an option, so Jaemin laughed, “Anything, Renjun. It’s not really an option for us mortals to eat or not eat. Now, if you’re asking what I  _ like _ to eat, then it’s bread. Really simple, but bread and a fine cheese is the perfect meal. Pair it with a good bottle of wine. Maybe a cabernet sauvignon. Or a good white wine.”

The Siren tilts his head in confusion, “Interesting.”

“You have no idea what I’m talking about, do you,” Jaemin calls him out.

At this, Renjun admits to it, “I don’t.”

“I’m telling you. You’re missing out,” Jaemin tsked then played around, “You should come out of the cove.”

Renjun shakes his head, “I’m perfectly fine here, thank you.”

“Suit yourself,” Jaemin fakes a sigh, “But let me tell you, Renjun. It’s a  crazy world out there, just dying for you to see it.”

“Hah, I get it.  _ Dying _ for me to see it,” Renjun laughs at the pun.

Jaemin turns slightly red at this and he laughs, “I didn’t mean for that to be a pun, but I guess you were more clever than I was.”

“Of course I am,” Renjun says with a hint of a smile.

“Quite humble, aren’t you,” Jaemin chuckles sarcastically, but then asks, “Is it because you inhale all of your victim’s memories and experiences?”

At this, the Siren’s hair turns pale yellow and he bursts out into a fit of pretty laughter and turns his head to look at Jaemin, “Now what in the world causes you to think that?”

At this, Na Jaemin shrugs, “I don’t know. I just thought...since you know, the Siren’s kiss can kill a mortal and all that, you get to suck in all of their knowledge too or...something.”

“My god,” Renjun almost finds himself crying from laughter, “What do they teach you guys in school?”

“Not the right thing apparently,” Jaemin laughs despite being a little embarrassed.

“Besides,” Renjun tells him, “If I could, in your words, inhale someone else’s life, then what use do I have in asking you for your stories?”

That was true. Jaemin puts his hands up in defeat even though both of them were still laying down, “So when you kiss them, they just...die?” 

At this, the Siren just purses his lips and shrugs, “I mean, yes.”

“So you’ve never... _ actually _ kissed someone for real,” Jaemin asks, turning his head to look at the Siren.

Renjun’s hair turns a pale orange. He’d seen this color before, and Jaemin tries to suppress a humorous chuckle at the sight of embarrassment. 

Renjun responds, “No.”

The mercenary, curious, questions further, “And what if you just don’t kiss them?”

“I can’t  _ not _ do that,” Renjun rolls his eyes, “It’s what I’m put on this earth for. That’s like telling a bird not to chirp.”

“I see,” Jaemin responds, his hands behind his head as he laid there.

Renjun’s hair stays pale orange. It wasn’t an obnoxious orange, but a very faint one, like that of a creamsicle but paler. 

And then the Siren tells Jaemin, “So no, I’ve never been intimate with someone before,” And then he pauses, “What’s it like?”

Jaemin chuckles, “Why are you assuming I’ve been intimate?”

The Siren clicks his tongue, “I mean, look at you.”

_ I mean, look at you _ . Jaemin raises a brow at that statement, “What’s that supposed to mean.”

Renjun turns his pretty head to face the sellsword, “I can tell just by looking at you. Talking to you. You’re cocky, careless, handsome. You like to do many wild things. You’ve slept with many people.”

At this, Jaemin tries not to take offense, but he nods, “I have.”

Renjun then lays on one arm that his head rests on as he faces the mercenary, “What’s it like?”

Jaemin closes his eyes, “It’s just something to do.”

“Just something to do?” Renjun asks with a little chortle. 

“Yeah,” Na Jaemin responds, “To pass the time or when I’m bored.”

At this, Renjun frowns, “Call me ignorant, but I thought even casual sex was more... you know...exciting.

“It feels good,” The sellsword then says, “Don’t get me wrong. It’s satisfying. But it becomes neutral over time.”

The Siren just hums in response, taking in the words, as he had not really heard this take on intimacy before. He's always heard that it was one of life's greatest pleasures.

Then Jaemin chuckles a little, “It’s funny. You’d think that you of all people would have more experience, with seduction being a Siren’s forte and all.”

“You’d think, right?” Renjun smiles.

And then, with no prompting, Jaemin rolls over onto his side until he comes face to face with the Siren, gorgeous in front of him without even having to try, and Jaemin leaves no room for shyness, “You know, if you’re that curious,” The man speaks, and Renjun has an idea where this was going, Jaemin finishes, “I could show you.” 

With this, the sellsword sees it. Renjun’s hair turns the color Mauve, a little smokey but a  _ lot _ pretty. Jaemin sees that Renjun had noticed it too, but the Siren says nothing. Just as quickly as the color appeared, it disappeared again back into a brown, and Renjun simply denies him, “I’m good. I’m not going to just be  _ ‘something to do’ _ for a puny mortal.”

Jaemin lays back with a laugh, “A puny mortal you can’t harm.”

Renjun groans, “Ugh, don’t remind me.”

“Anyhow,” Jaemin gets settled back his head on his hands, “Suit yourself. Just so you know, the offer is still there if you want it.”

Jaemin didn’t see it, but he could practically hear and imagine the Siren’s eyes rolling, “I hope it expires soon then.”

“Okay, okay,” Jaemin laughs. 

Their conversation transitioned into a more safe topic and continued for a while. Maybe even a bit longer than even Jaemin intended it to. And for the first time since they met, it wasn’t built off of an exchange of stories. It just felt like a normal conversation between two people. 

There was always that air of dislike and resentment between them, mostly on Renjun’s end, as they talked, but even then, the Siren couldn’t help but so easily slip into some weird conversation with the handsome mercenary. 

For one, Jaemin was pesky, and would not stop bothering him until he answered a question or commented on a subject. Secondly, there was something about Jaemin’s honest and carefree approach that made Renjun feel more confident in talking to him. The sellsword was not afraid to give it to him straight, and not sugarcoat things.

If Jaemin’s intentions for him weren’t so clear, then Renjun believed that he himself could genuinely let his guard down around the killer. Sadly, that was not the case. But even then, the Siren felt like with every word that Jaemin speaks, the assassin was almost becoming a Siren himself, it seemed like. Jaemin had a way with words that incited people to want to tell him things, and Renjun as powerful as he was, even fell into the trap. He knew this when the man ended up making Renjun reveal more things about himself than he had ever originally intended to talk about. About how he hates his hair, or about how he isn’t allowed to spare children but asks the pixies to guide young ones away before they could ever even reach the cove so that he wouldn’t ever have to kill one. Renjun does not mean to reveal these things. Yet here he was. Maybe it was the loneliness after all this time that drove him to be like this, he thought. But then, he shook his head. 

No, it was because Jaemin has sneaky secrets up his sleeve. 

“To you, the days and night must fly fast, right?” Jaemin asks as the color of the sky gets deeper. 

Renjun shrugs, “Fast compared to you, yes. A year of your time feels like a minute of mine.”

At this, Jaemin turns his head towards the beautiful creature, “Do you ever miss anything once you live past it?”

The question prompts the Siren to just shrug. His voice went a little weary, “I’ve never had anything worth missing.”

Jaemin would have made some sly comment like  _ what a shame _ , but when he thinks about it, how different was he? He didn’t have much worth missing either when he leaves this world. People in professions like himself have to have that mindset to be able to do the job that they do. Being a sellsword does not leave room for sentimental memories or people. It is not a job for people who have something to lose. And so he stays quiet.

When it was time to leave again, the mercenary pulls himself off of the pebbled floor and looks down at the beautiful Siren, looking utterly stunning in his baby blue robe that slit at the thighs, revealing slender milky legs. He had stopped himself from staring earlier, not wanting to incite something unnecessary.

“I’m going to leave,” Jaemin tells him, and the Siren looks up at the man. 

Renjun frowns, “Good. Please do.”

Jaemin lets out an airy laugh at this into the quiet night atmosphere, “Something tells me that you still don’t like me.”

Renjun tucks a strand of brown hair behind his ear, “Something tells me you’re right.”

Na Jaemin should have taken his leave, but at this, he bends back down a little bit slowly and reaches a hand out to lift up Renjun’s pretty chin with his finger. At the touch, the skin went warm, as if blossoms bloomed between the connection. The Siren was undoubtedly surprised from the contact, for Renjun’s hypnotizing eyes widened. 

But Jaemin did not pull back. Instead, he just smiles at the creature and speaks, “Shame.” He simply states as his eyes run over Renjun’s exquisite face, and then he tells the Siren, “I’m growing fond of you. Don’t be so cold to me, will you?”

Jaemin’s eyes glanced up when he sees that Renjun’s hair turns a shade of light peach, and he wants to grin. That color had showed up a couple times so far, and he could only take guesses at the emotion. What he knows for sure is that it brings him a small sense of triumph to see that color on Renjun’s soft hair. 

But then the Siren slapped his hand away roughly, “Don’t touch me.”

Renjun didn’t like it one bit. The feeling of his skin burning when the mortal touched him. He didn’t like how it felt like a passionate sensation that spread through his body. It was foreign, for he’s never been touched so casually like this without the mortal dying from his effect. Renjun brought his hands up to wrap around his own arms as he shielded away from the mortal’s strange touch. 

Na Jaemin laughed and stepped back again, putting his hands up in defeat, “Alright, goodnight.”

“I would say the same, but I’m not sure I want you to have a goodnight,” Renjun snaps back with narrow eyes.

Jaemin just shakes his head and jokes, “I’m hurt. Here I am, knowing that you immortals don’t even need sleep, and I  _ still _ say goodnight to you. And you can’t give me the same.”

Renjun rolls his eyes, “Don’t be so dramatic. You know you deserve this treatment.”

The mercenary just offers the Siren a smile, “I do, don’t I? Shamelessly playing with your feelings like this.”

The Siren just simply tells him, “Don’t get ahead of yourself. You’re not affecting me in any way.”

“Really?” Jaemin asks, in a tone that clearly didn’t believe Renjun, “Is that not why your hair turns peach when I make you shy?”

At this, the Siren turns his head around to face the sellsword in surprise and like on cue, his hair turns peach against his own will. That was the curse of a Siren. Invincible or not, a Siren’s greatest vulnerability is the fact that no matter how hard they try, a Siren will never be able to hide its emotions. 

Renjun was about to curse the man, “Who said that was what it was?”

“No one,” Jaemin tries to suppress a small smirk, “Just intuition.” 

“You’re just annoying, that’s all. Go home,” Renjun tries to fend for himself, turning his head back to the glowing waters of the cove.

Na Jaemin snickers in a playful manner, but ultimately decides that it was time to actually head back, “I’ll see you tomorrow then, Renjun. I like our stories, but I also just like talking to you like this,” He nonchalantly comments, “We should do it more often.”

He reached down to pick up his satchel and slings it over his shoulder, before turning his heel. The Dark Woods was a fitting name, for by this time, it was just about pitch black in the frightening woods. With his mortal eyes, it was hard to see just what kind of creatures could be lurking just around the corner. With pixies that guided him back, he felt more secure, but even then, he always hated the walk back. 

Just as he was about to walk far enough away from the Cove, he hears a faint comment from Renjun behind him, and he slows in his steps for a moment.

“Goodnight,” Renjun tells him then, in a voice that was not loud so that the chances of Jaemin not hearing was higher. But even then, the trained mercenary heard it, and he didn't turn around to look at the Siren, taking the comment as casual as possible even though on his face, he was trying hard to suppress a smile. He looks down as his feet, trying to hold back a grin at the simple comment of  _ goodnight _ . 

And after a moment, he stands back up straight and ventures into the Dark Woods, whistling out for the pixies to take him back to his empty estate. 

  
  


Na Jaemin comes late the next day, but it wasn’t as if they had a schedule or anything. The sellsword was sure Renjun was probably delighted that it looked as if Jaemin wasn’t going to show up, but too bad he would be sorely disappointed when he actually would. He had been running small errands throughout the day, wanting to do something later that night in his mind. Instead of coming in the afternoon, Jaemin heads into the Dark Woods just before the Sun would enter the “setting” phase, for he wanted to come right when the sky would bask in a huge display of purple and oranges. 

Today, he carries with him quite a large crate as he ventures through. It was definitely not ideal; however, unlike the first time, when he didn’t know where the Siren’s cove was, now he was quite used to the path and knew the shortest routes there. Although his arms were sore for carrying the crate, he knew that if it could make the Siren happy, then the payoff in the long term would be worth a little bit of heavy lifting. The payoff shines in his eyes: the gold, the money, the territory. It’s an attractive deal. But just now, he feels just a hint of sorry on what he had to do to cash in that deal. 

When he comes up past the canopy of large leaves and into the Siren’s serene and beautiful cove, he spots the creature sitting up near the water’s edge, waving his foot around to cause ripples in the lagoon. Renjun took on a flowy baby pink attire today. A thin, see-through baby pink robe with a long train that trailed on the ground was slung loosely over a simple blouse that revealed hints of collarbone, tucked carelessly into a pair of trousers. 

When the Siren sees Jaemin, he raises an eyebrow. 

“And here I thought you weren’t coming,” Renjun says in a sing-song voice, and gets up to walk over to the handsome assassin, having the train of his robe flow like the wind right behind him as he sashays. Jaemin eyes the movement, not surprised that everything Renjun did seemed to be nonchalantly seductive by default. It was the nature of Sirens, after all.

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you. If I didn’t come,” Jaemin chuckles, noting that Renjun did not particularly look disappointed, but then again, neither had he looked excited to see him. It didn’t matter. Hopefully, this would excite him.

Jaemin sets down the crate that had a thin blanket covering its contents. Once it was set down, Jaemin pulls at his shirt and shakes the collar to air out the sweat and humidity that collected from carrying the crate through the Dark Woods. 

He adorns a black blouse again, half buttoned up to reveal his tone and tanned chest, tucked loosely into a pair of dark washed slacks. A chain hung from his pocket to the side of his shirt. In the middle of his chest, the sabertooth necklace sat, a constant dangling reminder that Renjun’s tactics were useless against the man. He continues to air out the shirt and breaths out some air to cool himself off. Jaemin can see the Siren observing him as he does this. 

And he gives the Siren a look, “What?”

Renjun blinks and then turns his gaze to the crate, ignoring the question, “What’s in there?” 

Jaemin is not fazed by the question in the slightest, as if he expected Renjun to ask, and without looking at the crate, tells Renjun, “You’ll see in a moment. Turn around and close your eyes.”

Renjun gives him a look, “Right. I don’t think so.”

Jaemin knew the smaller would be stubborn about this, “Come on, Renjun. Trust me.”

“Trust  _ you _ ?” Renjun finds it funny, “The person who’s trying to kill me?”

“Yes,” Jaemin says as if there was no problem, “You know that I can’t, so what’s the harm of turning around and closing your eyes?”

Renjun made no comments to that besides a simple, “Okay, but why.”

“If you’d just do what I say,” Jaemin shakes his head with a half grin, “then you’ll find out.”

“You think I’ll just  _ listen _ to you?” Renjun squints his eyes and crosses his slender arms. 

“I mean, you don’t have to,” Jaemin plays his cards, “But aren’t you curious?”

The Siren says nothing, just staring right back into the deep set eyes of the mercenary.

“No?” Jaemin asks, “Okay, then. I’ll just put it u-”

“Fine,” Renjun rolls his eyes and turns around, sitting down on the pebbled cove bank.

At the conceding, Jaemin finds himself smiling to himself in triumph before he unpacked what all he brought. 

He had told Renjun yesterday he would do something, but Jaemin was sure Renjun probably thought he was just saying things just to say things. 

Jaemin was never a gift-giving person, so it felt strange that he was going all out for this mission. He was going to do this and go all out, especially if in the end, it would get him what he wants. 

He removed the thin, but large blanket that covered the crate and spread it out on the pebbled floor. It wouldn’t do too much to cushion, but it didn’t matter. It would look pretty. In the woven-basket crate, he then took out assortments of foods that he had picked up throughout the day. 

Things that he thought Renjun might have liked to try but never had the opportunity to. 

He had remembered the slight comment the Siren had made the other day, about there being no possible scenario that a jelly sandwich would just stumble into the woods for him to try. And so, he took out a small box of strawberry jelly sandwiches and set them down on the picnic-type blanket. If nothing else, then it showed Renjun that he was listening. He didn’t like strawberry much himself, but he had a feeling that Renjun would. 

It wasn’t just that, but Jaemin also brought a board of mixed cheeses and crackers: brie, bellafontino, and a variety of different goudas ranging in smoked to cracked black pepper. It released a pungent smell of salt and nuttiness, but it would pair very well with the artisan bread loaves he also brought along, infused with mixture of herbs and some garlic for extra aroma. 

He did not forget to pack a slice or two of blueberry cake for the Siren, who had expressed that he liked fruit, but didn’t get to taste much aside from the ones that grew in his cove. To go along with the cake, Jaemin set a bottle of red wine on the blanket, and laid out a corkscrew and two wine glasses that he had wrapped in a towel so that it didn’t break on the journey here and placed gently in the crate.

“Are you done yet,” Renjun asked with an impatient voice.

Jaemin just took this in stride and hummed, “Just a moment.”

As a finishing touch, he had taken along some wax candles so that when the sky got dark, they could light them up and still see all the food without relying on the slight from the glowing cove’s waters. It wasn’t needed right now, for the sky was starting to settle into a beautiful sunset. 

Jaemin almost felt uncomfortable with himself for how excessive he was being, and if it was anyone else, he would be afraid they’d get the wrong idea about what he was doing. However, with Renjun, he  _ wanted _ the Siren to get the wrong idea. Because the more wrong Renjun’s ideas were about Jaemin’s feelings, the straighter his path to success. He was here to win.

“Okay, you can turn around now,” Jaemin mentions to the Siren as he lights a candle for the scent, even if they didn’t need the light right away. 

He hears the rustling as Renjun turns around and looks at the sight in front of him.

A couple meters from the water’s edge, a whole picnic spread was set up complete with an array of different foods that he had mentioned he wanted to try or that Jaemin had expressed good, complete with a bottle of wine and scented candles. Jaemin was hunched over one of the candles, trying to light it over and over again, concentrating so hard on it. 

Na Jaemin could feel the Siren’s eyes on him, and for some odd reason, Jaemin felt a sense of nervousness brewing inside of him. The silence coming from Renjun made Jaemin dying to know if the pretty immortal liked it, and the question made Jaemin a little apprehensive about all he was doing. Why did he care so much right now. This is all just a ruse.

Just as Jaemin was about to try for the fiftieth time to light the candle, Renjun comes over and kneels down right besides Jaemin, and takes the wooden splint and quickly lights it, bringing it then to the wax candle’s wick. 

Jaemin sits back and looks at the beautiful Siren. The first thing he noticed was the hair. Lavender. Renjun couldn’t pretend to feel neutral and apathetic if he tried, for his emotions were written on the thousands of strands that grew from his head. Renjun could say all he wanted that this didn’t make him feel anything, but the strands do not lie. Looking at Renjun now, and seeing his reaction, Jaemin found himself smiling. 

As if Renjun could see what Jaemin was looking at, the smaller makes a comment without looking at Jaemin, “I hate my hair.”

Jaemin doesn’t say anything, but waits for the Siren to finish.

Once Renjun finished lighting the last of the candles, he stands up and looks over at Jaemin, who pulls himself up to his feet also. Renjun speaks, “I really don’t want to let you know that…” He waves his hands at the entire layout, “This...makes me…” He paused, “excited. But alas,” And then Renjun points at his hair, “This will tell you before I ever would.” The Siren’s speech patterns almost sounded  _ shy _ . Was he stuttering? 

Jaemin smiles greatly at this, “Trust me, I’m glad I can see how you’re feeling.”

At this, Renjun wants to roll his eyes but he can’t find the will to be upset, “You’re good, Na Jaemin.”

“Good?” Jaemin asked, with a raised brow as he waits for clarification. In the meantime, he finds himself a seat on the blanket, and gestures for the Siren to join him. 

Renjun actually obliges and finds a spot not too far from Jaemin and he admires the spread before explaining himself a bit, “Yes. You’re good. You got good tricks up your sleeve, Jaemin. This is...” Renjun tries to find a good word but he ultimately couldn’t, so he settles with, “...nice.”

“Tricks?” Jaemin laughed.

"Yeah," Renjun says, almost out of breath as he appreciates what's all in front of him, "I know what you're doing, Jaemin."

"Well," The sellsword nods, “If I can’t convince you otherwise, then should we just enjoy this ‘trick’ while it lasts?”

At this, the Siren gives him a beautiful smile that looked a little genuine, albeit a little wary also, “Sure.”

Jaemin just shakes his head, “Don’t pretend to be so nonchalant, Renjun,” He sees through him, “I know you want to try all this.”

At this, Renjun lets out the most beautiful laugh Jaemin has yet to hear and admits to it, “Okay, maybe a little.”

“A little?” Jaemin gives him a look as he reaches for the bottle of wine.

“That’s all you’re getting,” Renjun smiles while rolling his eyes, “Don’t push it.” He warns playfully.

Na Jaemin hates how he feels the need to ask for approval, but he does it anyways, “So you...like it?”

Renjun looked around, as if taking in the situation before looking down at his feet, “I do,” He admits the truth, for he knows that Jaemin would know if he was lying. 

At this, without him even having to force it, the sellsword finds himself grinning. And so Jaemin did a little tour of their picnic, showing Renjun everything and explaining it as the Siren looks on. Jaemin made sure to bring a lot of things, for he genuinely wanted Renjun to be able to try some of these things. It would be a shame for someone to live, and not have tried a cranberry jam spread on top of a slice of Camembert cheese. 

And then they began to dine in. Jaemin thoroughly enjoys watching the pretty Siren get surprised everytime he tries something and it doesn’t taste like how he expects it to.  _ Is it bad? _ Jaemin would ask, to which Renjun would shake his head no excitedly and tell him _ No, I just didn’t expect that _ . And Jaemin talks to him as if they were good friends, and it felt like tonight, Renjun lets his guard down. The Siren puts a pause on the hostility and instead, takes a moment to appreciate Jaemin doing this, if nothing else. 

Renjun tells him about the baby serpent that swam upstream towards the Cove today, and how the Siren had to call on a water nymph, whom he just  _ hated _ talking to because of their tendency to gossip, to take the baby back to its mother since the Siren couldn’t do it himself. Jaemin listens and he smiles at this. Strange, how with no context, Renjun almost seemed like a kind being. Funny how things actually are. 

“Is that wine?” Renjun asks at some point. 

Jaemin nods. He then sits up straight, leaning forward to grab the bottle. With his other hand, he feels around the picnic blanket for the corkscrew he had set out. 

Holding the bottle steady with one hand, he pulls out the cork with a crisp  _ pop _ , “Sure is. It’s been aged for almost three decades.” And then he looked up at the Siren, “You can’t get drunk, right? Being immortal and all that?”

“I’ve never had the opportunity to test it out,” Renjun confesses, “But probably not. Being drunk is physical weakness, which I cannot feel.”

Na Jaemin takes note of this and hums in response, “You can have a lot then. It’s supposed to be quite good,” He says as he pours a glass for the Siren, “One of the best, actually. It’s been in my cabinet, but I’ve always been hesitant to drink it because of how rare it is.”

“Yeah?” Renjun says as he accepts his glass, “Why now, then?”

“Because you’ve never had any of this before. The food, the fine, the whole thing,” Jaemin tells him simple, “It’s a worthy occasion.”

“Right,” Renjun gives him a funny look and teases him, “Is that all?”

Jaemin pours himself a glass, and as he looks at the levels rising, he grins without looking at Renjun, “And also because I’m trying to win you over, of course.”

Renjun toasts to that, “There you go,” He laughs, but this time, it was not a bitter or sarcastic one as it usually is when they mention the whole reason why Jaemin was here in the first place. 

Renjun holds the glass up to his lips, and upon contact with the wine, he tastes the bitterness of the grapes. It sent a strange feeling down his throat and in his chest, but it wasn’t all too unpleasant. There were hints of a sweet aroma in there, and after a couple more sips, he begins to enjoy the strange taste. It was odd to him, for he was not used to drinking...well, anything. But he doesn’t hate it. That much, at least.

“It’s bitter, but...with a slightly sweet aftertaste,” Renjun comments as his nose scrunches up. His hair turns a muddy green. A new color, and just from context clues, Jaemin laughs and takes a guess that it’s dislike. The color then goes back to lavender. Pretty. 

“Do you like it?” The mercenary asks, wanting Renjun to enjoy himself because he likes the sight of the Siren’s laugh, funny enough.

“I can get used to it,” Was all that Renjun had to offer in response. He takes another small sip.

Jaemin, on the other hand, thoroughly enjoys it, taking longer and stronger swigs.

“Slow down there,” Renjun laughs, “You’re the one who can actually get drunk.”

Jaemin smiles knowingly at this, “Are you worrying for me?”

“Absolutely not,” Renjun shakes his head, but still adorns a pretty smile, “I just don’t want you to get stuck here through the night if you get too disoriented to go back.”

Jaemin just plays around, and looks up at Renjun through the fringe in his hair with a grin, “Damn, you got me hopeful for a moment there.” And then he leans back, tearing a piece of bread off and spreading some brie on top of it, “But don’t worry. I have a high alcohol tolerance. Some wine won’t do anything to me.”

“Really,” Renjun hums as he follows suit, just copying everything that Jaemin was doing with the bread and cheese. Jaemin notices something. This entire time, the boy’s hair had not turned back to brown once, yet stayed lavender. That was good. This was a prettier color on him anyways.

Jaemin nods as he eats the bread, letting the savory umami flavor overtake his senses, “Yeah. I down whiskey most nights. Wine is child’s play.”

Renjun furrows his brows at this, “Why?”

Jaemin shrugs. He wasn’t sure whether or not to tell the truth or make up some excuse to make the question pass quicker. Ultimately, he decides to just tell the Siren. Above them, the sky wore its finest attire, decked from bottom to top with the most gorgeous swatches of purple and orange. It casted a glow on them, and especially on Renjun’s soft looking skin. 

“Makes me forget,” The sellsword says, looking up at the stars for a moment.

Renjun hums, “Forget what?”

“Forget that I’m not doing anything purposeful or meaningful with my life or career,” Jaemin laughs as he tells the truth. It wasn’t that hard for him to say, because he was quite desensitized to this feeling to the point where he had accepted it, “You called me out on it before, remember? How a sellsword like me fights for nothing but myself?”

Renjun just looks at him, taking a pause on his eating, “Yes, I remember.”

“Yeah, well,” Jaemin finds himself admitting, “Some days it gets tiring.”

At this, Renjun bit his cheek and looked over at the mercenary, “And yet you still do it.”

“Yeah,” Jaemin shrugs, “It pays well. It funds my pub spendings. My estate. My lifestyle. Plus, I'm good at it.”

“And you’re still taking missions?” The Siren asks, genuinely curious about Jaemin. 

Jaemin swirls the wine glass in his hands a little bit while looking at the beautiful sunset, “If I finish this one then,” He looks over at Renjun, unsure if he should even tell his eventual victim, if he were to be successful at least, this, “I can retire easily. But it’s not just that. It’s like...I keep convincing myself that if I keep up with this profession, I’ll grow to be passionate about it. So I keep going, hoping that the next mission, I might feel something other than indifference to what I’m doing. And then I say that about the  _ next  _ mission. And then the next. And then the next.”

Jaemin breaths, swirling the glass in his hands once more. Damn, maybe it was stronger than he thought, “I’m good at what I do, so I just stick to it even if it doesn’t give me...a sense of purpose.”   
At this, Renjun goes silent, looking up to meet Na Jaemin’s eyes. There was no sense of challenge or haughtiness in Jaemin’s eyes this time, as there usually was when they talked about this. Instead, there was almost a sense of desperation. 

Jaemin looked up at Renjun’s hair. The lavender faded away and transitioned into a muddled gray. He hadn’t seen this one before, but he was not going to ask. Not right now. For some reason, Jaemin felt almost bad when the lavender disappeared. He liked it on Renjun.

The Siren then says in a quiet, but sincere tones, “I’m not going to just let you kill me, Jaemin.”

For the first time, Jaemin doesn’t bother to spend time uselessly arguing with the smaller, especially knowing that Renjun was just as stubborn as he was, and instead, he tilts his head back towards the sky and bites into some more bread, before admitting, “I know you won’t.”  _ I’ll try anyways though _ , He thought, but he doesn’t say it.

A moment of silence passed between them, as they observed the twilight that took over the sky. Now, the candles have its chance to shine and flicker of the pretty pebbles. The water trickled gently, and it glowed near the edges beautifully, alongside the fluorescent neon flowers. 

And then, Renjun speaks up, “That being said,” He hesitated, “I know where you’re coming from.” He pauses then continues, “With the feeling of not doing anything purposeful or meaningful with my life.”

Jaemin looks at the Siren then, setting down the glass of wine and leaned back on his arms. 

“Maybe that’s why I’m so interested in hearing stories of your adventures,” Renjun laughs dryly as he admits what Jaemin had already known.

Jaemin waits for a second to let the words settle in before telling Renjun, “I know.” Jaemin knew the reason why Renjun always asked about them. It had always been obvious. 

The Siren’s eyes flickered up to the mercenary, and he wasn’t surprised that Jaemin could tell why he had been so interested. It wasn’t exactly a riddle to figure out. 

“It’s funny isn’t it,” Renjun smiles, “I’m stuck here for eternity, not fully satisfied because I live for no clear purpose. And you get to go out and do whatever you want, and yet, you feel the same way. We’re two different people, yet it seems like we struggle from the same disease of dispassion.” He taps his fingers on his thighs, “I’ve said this before, but we’re just two different sides of the same coin.”

“Same coin, huh. The coin of being afraid to take risks and stray from things that are familiar to us?” Jaemin laughs, not disagreeing at all with Renjun’s assessment, “Should we toast to that?”

The Siren shakes his head but then holds up his drink.

Jaemin picks up his own and holds it up also.

Renjun then speaks out loud as if the Woods were listening, “Here’s to two fools who have no purpose, but are too afraid of change to do anything about it.” 

Jaemin chuckles deeply and then added a “Cheers” before clinking glasses with Renjun. Jaemin could say that many of the moments between them had felt like a contractual acquaintanceship or force friendliness; however, in this moment, Na Jaemin wouldn’t be able to shake the feeling of a real connecting point between the two of them if he tried. It wasn’t often that he met someone who could empathize with how he felt. It was just unfortunate that it was in a predicament such as this. 

Still, even then, Na Jaemin allowed himself to enjoy the moment of connection while he has it. He urges Renjun to try a jelly sandwich, who then continues to enjoy it thoroughly albeit surprised that Jaemin had taken noticed of that small detail of his conversation just the other day. 

Regardless, Renjun seemed to be enjoying himself. And Jaemin knew this from taking note that the smaller’s hair color had turned back to lavender; however, he makes no comment on it. He will just enjoy looking at it for now, without letting on that he was paying attention. 

Jaemin finds it unnerving that he feels himself enjoying Renjun’s company for the rest of the night. The Siren does not put up as strong of a front as he usually did, and the tension of hatred was easier tonight. Instead, Renjun decided to indulge the man in his thoughts and wishes, without any air of pretentiousness. Jaemin does the same to equal the playing field, telling Renjun about his own anecdotes. His aspirations growing up. What his home country was like. 

Little intimate details that he had never really told anyone else before. He didn’t  _ want _ to be comfortable with the Siren, but in the ambiance of the night, lit up by melting candles that smelled like daisies, and the strangely relatable persona of Renjun, Jaemin finds himself easing into telling the smaller things that he doesn’t divulge often. 

“This all tastes so strange but…” Renjun says later on in the night as he gestures towards all the food that they sampled, “...good.”

“You think so?” Jaemin half smiled while looking at Renjun, unable to take his eyes off of the boy. He knows it’s just the effect of the Siren, but the result was the same.

Renjun nods, “Yeah. New things are...good for me,” And then he hesitated, “So thank you for this.”

Jaemin didn’t control this voluntarily, but he finds himself giving Renjun a genuine smile, “It’s nothing.”

“No, it’s not nothing,” Renjun insists, as he looks up at Jaemin with those stunning doe eyes, “I might hate you, but I’m still going to thank you for this.”

Jaemin shifts his body until he was sitting with his elbows resting on his crossed lap and his chin was on his palm as he looks back at Renjun, “You’re welcome.”

And then, Jaemin makes no plans to take his eyes off of Renjun. Jaemin had never been the shy type, but he still makes a habit of never staring at someone for too long, for they’ll assume that he likes them a lot more than he actually does. However, with Renjun, maybe it’s just the beauty of a Siren but it was hard not to notice just how exquisite Renjun was if he looked past the whole murder spree. 

Renjun must have noticed, for his hair involuntarily turns a light peach, to which Jaemin smirked, and the smaller man calls Jaemin out, “Are you done staring?”

“Not really, but,” Jaemin sits back and goes back into focus, “I’ll stop.”

“You don’t have to,” Renjun humors, leaning forward on his palm, “Beauty is a Siren’s only redeeming trait, so you can do what you will with it.”

Jaemin laughs at this, but makes honest commentary, “I’m not going to deny that you’re beautiful, Renjun,” Jaemin says this nonchalantly and Renjun raises one brow at the statement, “But I think…”

Jaemin pursed his lips. Should he even say this? Was this too honest for someone like him to say? Someone who shouldn’t begin developing any connection to Renjun, his victim?

He says it anyways, “...You have more redeemable traits that you give yourself credit for.”

Renjun just looks at him, candlelight flickering on his pretty face.

Jaemin continues, not taking his gaze from the boy even once, “Not many because you’re still a shitty person, but, still, more than you think.”

The Siren lets out a light laugh at this, “Was that your attempt at flirting?”

Jaemin just half smile, half smirks at him, “If you want it to be, we can call it that.”

Now  _ that _ just then was flirting. But Jaemin comments nothing further on it. Renjun just blinks at the mercenary but ultimately mutters under his breath, “Well, anyways,” He mumbles, “I guess you’re not too bad either.”

Jaemin heard it, but he smiles and holds his ear up closer, “What was that? Say that again?”

Renjun shakes his head, “You’re still a shitty person too, and you’ll never get what you’re here for, but…” Renjun just rolls his eyes and leans back, “You’re not as bad.”

Jaemin smiles, but teases Renjun, “Not bad, but  _ still _ an asshole, huh.”

“Yes,” Renjun snickers, “Still an asshole.”

  
  
  


And the two of them both being assholes do not change with time either. Not even after a solid two weeks after the little sunset turned moonlight picnic. Sure, something, albeit subtly, shifted after that night. A little more appreciation. A little less hostile. But there was always going to be that air of distasteful energy between them, because the predicament between the two guaranteed that. 

But that air of hateful energy was going to have to learn to coexist with the other air of friendship, or at the least acquaintanceship, that was growing a bit larger by the day. 

So ultimately, what existed was this strange feeling of both hating each other knowing that both are trying to kill the other but at the same time, unable to stop feeling a sense of friendship grow as they spent more time together. Of course, Renjun never forgets exactly what Jaemin was here for, and the taller man knew it. But Renjun definitely seemed more tolerant, if that was the word to use. 

If by tolerant, meaning that Renjun smiles a little more when Jaemin attempts to make him laugh, then yes, he was tolerant. If by tolerant, meaning that Renjun could find himself spending hours in Jaemin’s company without feeling too exhausted, then yes, he was tolerant. If by tolerant, meaning that Renjun didn’t get into arguments out of irritation as  _ much _ as he did before, then yes he was tolerant. 

It wasn’t as if one instance of Na Jaemin being kind that one night with the entire picnic spread was enough to incite an intensive friendship between the two. It was the fact that it  _ wasn’t _ just one instance. 

It was some afternoon, Jaemin wasn’t sure which one, but he had been asked by an acquaintance within the Kingdom to accompany him for a small midday drink, and usually, he would have no hesitations saying yes. However, maybe it was the mix of wanting to get the mission done and being a little intrigued by the Siren he had been assigned to kill, for Jaemin finds himself declining the request.

Rather, he places himself in the company of the Siren, like he had been doing an awful lot of lately even though no one was forcing him to. When he approaches the cove, he parts the large banana leaves that hid the cove from view and spots the pretty creature laying flat on the pebbled bank of the Cove’s waters. Renjun had his eyes closed facing the bright sky, hair brown. 

He looked so peaceful, and so harmless that even a deer would approach him. Jaemin made footsteps towards the smaller man until he stands blocking the sun, causing a dark shadow in front of the Siren.

Renjun’s eyes flutter open then. He already knew it was Na Jaemin who had come, but he milked a few more seconds of shut-eye anyways.

He was still laying down, looking up at the mercenary who blocked the sun from him.

“I thought you don’t need sleep,” Jaemin chides. 

The Siren blinks up at him, “I don’t.”

“So what were you doing just now?” The man inquires.

Renjun then pulls himself up to a sitting position, “It’s nice to just close my eyes and relax. I have to get as much relaxation as I can before you come every day to ruin it,” The Siren half-jokes.

“Oh come on,” Jaemin winks, “I make your life exciting, admit it.”

The pretty creature rolls his eyes, but says nothing.

“No?” Jaemin asks, before faking hurt, “It’s just me who feels that way, then?”

“Yes,” Renjun deadpans. 

However, then, Jaemin reaches into his satchel and pulls out an embroidered tapestry, “I want to show you something. Still not excited?”

At this, the Siren’s hair turns lavender without his permission and Jaemin grins at this, “I like the lavender more anyways,” He says and then tosses the delicate silk tapestry over to Renjun.

Renjun catches the soft fabric in his nimble hands and admires the artistic and intricate detailed tapestry with a slight sparkle in his eyes. He hated that his hair was always so revealing, for he didn’t want to give Na Jaemin, his own hitman, the satisfaction of knowing he gets involuntarily excited when Jaemin shows him something new, something exciting.

Renjun was admiring the fabric, but he could feel the eyes of the sellsword on him and he looks up. Na Jaemin looked handsome as ever in his casual attire and fitted clothing, and the hint of a smile on his face looked good, and anyone would admit that. 

“There’s a story behind this tapestry, I assume?” Renjun asked excitedly, forgetting that he was supposed to hate Jaemin. 

The sellsword chuckles at Renjun’s enthusiasm and nods his head, “There is.”

“Tell me,” Renjun requests and then moves back to sit on a pretty large rock, patting the space next to him. He lays the tapestry on his lap and feels the soft fabric within his fingers.

Grinning to himself, the mercenary obliges, and he finds it odd how simple it was to ease into a conversation with the Siren, who was not supposed to have anything in common with him, yet had much more similarities than he could ever have guessed. He told Renjun his stories, and revelled in how the lavender hair does not disappear the entire time he speaks. Even if he didn’t want it to, it gave Jaemin some sense of pride. He told Renjun of how he bought the tapestry off of a vendor from Nuo-Sino when he was there to bring back a con artist that escaped. It had been sitting in Jaemin’s living room with no real purpose, just slung over a suede couch. 

They don’t run out of things to talk about, even when they did not feel like telling stories anymore. Renjun puts up less of a front today, Jaemin notices. The jabbing and sarcastic remarks were still there, and a couple mentions of irritance, but other than that, the Siren seems like he was still coasting off of the good mood from yesterday night. 

If Jaemin was honest, he was too. He knew that he was here for business, and that everything he was doing should be for the sake of completing the mission, but even then, he would be deceiving himself to say that yesterday didn’t put him in a good mood. 

It had been an almost perfect night, and it’s been a long time since Na Jaemin had sat down and ate with someone just because he wanted to. It was nice, for he was usually alone in his estate. And so here he was, enjoying instead the company of a Siren that was confined to this cove. It could be worse, Jaemin tells himself. He could be stuck having to complete this kill order on someone who he absolutely could not stand to see breathe. Or would that be worse? Would it? He asks himself this. 

Or was this worse: the fact that his kill victim this time around was someone that he wouldn’t mind befriending if the circumstances were different. And that was saying a lot, considering that he  _ had _ no friends. No real ones either way. He convinced himself that like those acquaintanceships, this strangely budding friendship wasn’t truly real either. 

Jaemin sees Renjun smile a bit more each day, and it was a nice sight. The Siren’s stunning smile was much more preferable than the scowl that often adored his face. Renjun was petite and had pretty lips that curved to one side slightly when he grinned. And when Renjun laughed, his face scrunches up, and Jaemin finds it more precious than he should. This was a dangerous creature here, he was talking to. He was coming to terms with that prevalent fact.

They talked for a long time, and Jaemin and Renjun both who weren’t used to having extensive conversations with others, find it heavily surprising that they don’t run out of topics. Jaemin was thankful for this, for he hated small talk. And being a bit of a public figure in the King’s circle, he was subject to small talk often. Diplomats and aristocrats alike indulge in small talk with him, about the weather, about the economy, about the King’s political affairs: things that Jaemin had no care or interest for. 

And so it was refreshing to be able to begin a conversation with Renjun with just a story from one of his travels, and then before he knew it, it had naturally transitioned to something more mundane, whether it be if shooting stars really do grant wishes or about the glowing fish in the water. 

And before they knew it, another day had passed and the evening sunset would come soon. 

“Do you not know that you’re actually spending all of the time of your day here?” Renjun asked humously as he looked up at the pretty setting sky, “Or do you really not have anything else better to do in Dasne?”

Jaemin laughs at this, turning over to look at the creature, “I know what I’m doing, Renjun.”

The Siren just tsks with the shake of his head, “Well, I have to say you’re dedicated to your job.” He says this a little bitterly.

“I mean it’s not just that,” Jaemin humors and then gently elbows the smaller man, “I like being here.”

“You like being here,” Renjun says it again as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing, “Bullshit.”

“No, I’m serious,” Jaemin laughs, “This isn’t half bad.”

Renjun snorts.

“I’m not just saying this,” Jaemin chuckles and offers a, “I turned down some plans to come see you today.”

“Oh, am I supposed to feel honored,” Renjun gives the mercenary a look.

“A little,” Jaemin winks at him.  _ He didn’t just spend time with anyone. _

Renjun rolls his eyes for what seemed like the millionth time, “I can never trust that you’re ever genuine, Jaemin.”

The man in question frowns at this, “No? Why not.”

The smaller just looks at the man, “When you make it clear you’re here to kill me, it makes it very hard to believe anything nice you say is because you mean it.”

Jaemin pursed his lips. Renjun was right, but the funny thing was, Na Jaemin almost felt like he  _ was _ serious when he said he liked being here. Or at the very least, he didn’t hate it as much as he thought he would. Maybe it was the beautiful cove itself, with its rock wall sides and beautiful shrubbery that surrounded the entire place. Or maybe, it was the interesting Siren that lived here and wanted to be a pain in the ass to deal with. Still, it left a strange feeling in his chest to know that if Jaemin ever were to be genuine about something, then Renjun would not believe him. 

However, he could not prove it. There was no viable way to prove to Renjun that not everything he said was done with the sole purpose of delivering a hit on Renjun’s head. And so, Jaemin didn’t bother, but instead stands himself up to stretch his legs. He hadn’t stood up in a while, for the two of them got caught up in each other’s company that they had not moved in quite a bit. 

The Siren watches him, and then Renjun slides the tapestry off of the lap and into the space besides him where Jaemin had been sitting. 

“Here’s this back,” Renjun said, remembering that Jaemin had brought it here to show him. 

The taller man, still standing, reaches down to the soft silk tapestry and before Renjun could ask what he was doing, Jaemin wrapped the tapestry so that it hung off of the Siren’s slender shoulders. He wraps the tapestry like a blanket around Renjun's small frame and grins.

The mercenary tells him seriously, “Keep it. Just in case you get cold.”

Renjun looks down at the cloak and tried to hide his smile. Jaemin found himself unknowingly stunned from seeing this smile. 

And then, Renjun looked up at the handsome man and lets out an airy laugh, “I don’t get cold.”

_ Right _ .  _ He’s immortal _ , Jaemin reminded himself, and then just shrugs, “Well, it’s the thought that counts, right?”

The Siren tries harder to suppress his grin after that, “I guess.”

Without really thinking, Jaemin reaches his fingers out to wipe away a strand of hair from Renjun’s eyes, and just as he does that, the strands turn light peach in his fingers. He looks though the fringe to meet Renjun’s eyes who then purses his lips. His fists clenched, and Jaemin could tell that the Siren really disliked how his emotions were always going to be on display. He almost felt bad, but then again, it was the price of immortality. 

Again, he  _ almost  _ felt bad, if not only for the fact that he liked seeing Renjun’s hair go peach so much. 

The Siren in question just coughs, “Do you usually invade people’s privacy like that?”

“Like what?” Jaemin says, but before Renjun could answer, Jaemin kneels one knee in front of where Renjun was sitting and tilts his head over to look up at the Siren’s pretty face, making him have no choice but to look at Jaemin, whose face was less than a foot away, “Like this?”

“Yes,” Renjun says, one eyebrow raised, “Like this.”

“Well,” Jaemin then says, “Would you like me to move back?”

His gaze holds Renjun’s intensely, and he knows that the Siren will no doubt surely say yes. But Renjun kept his eyes on the sellsword for a moment longer, playing the little game. Now that Jaemin was here, he could see that up close like this, the Siren was even more beautiful. His skin was as clear as anything, and those pretty eyes bore right into his skull. 

Surprisingly enough, the Siren just tells him, “Do what you want. I don’t care.”

“You don’t,” Jaemin chuckles as he affirms this statement, “You sure? So you won’t care if I do this then, right?”

And Renjun wasn’t sure what he had been expecting. Jaemin knew that Renjun was probably expecting him to invade his privacy and kiss the Siren, or be outrageously flirtatious way too early into this long-game they were playing with each other’s emotions, at least on Jaemin’s part at least. 

Before Renjun could ask  _ Do what _ , Jaemin moves and sits right besides the Siren and then lays down with his back on the rock, head staring up at the darkening sky, and then with one of his free hands, Na Jaemin pulls Renjun’s arm down. However, the Siren didn’t budge. Oh right. Jaemin had forgotten that he couldn’t actually move the Siren unless he allowed it. 

Renjun looks at him funny, “What are you doing?”

Jaemin tilts his head up a little and sighs, hand still on Renjun’s forearm, “Cloud watching. Lay down with me.”

“Cloud watching?” Renjun laughs, “It’s nighttime.”

“Yeah? So what? The moon’s bright today,” Jaemin tells him and then looks up at the clouds, “Come on. We can make up shapes for the clouds. Lay down with me, Renjun.”

The Siren just looks at the sellsword for a couple moments longer, observing how Jaemin’s deep set eyes had its focus on the sky above them, covered with moving clouds that were illuminated by bright moonlight. Finally, he let Jaemin pull his forearm gently down until they lay right next to each other, shoulder touching shoulder. Even this contact felt a bit electrifying, but both of them ignore it in exchange for a focus on the night sky above them. It was beautiful, and the clouds roll through displaying a show of different pictures. 

“That one right there,” Jaemin points to one in the far left, “Looks like a Phoenix.”

Renjun looks in that direction and tries to align his eyes with where Jaemin was pointing, “Oh yeah, I see it. Do you see the one right next to it though? It looks like a box.”

Jaemin turns his head to just look at the Siren and then laughs incredulously, “A  _ box _ ? Is that all you’ve got, Renjun?”

The Siren just rolls his eyes and complains, “Jaemin, they all look like blobs to me.”

“Use some imagination, Renjun,” Jaemin laughs and then looks over to his left where Renjun was laying and then takes notice of the sky over there, and so he points at it, “See? That one right there looks like a dragon.”

Renjun moves his head to where Jaemin was pointing his finger. He squinted around, but ultimately did not see what Jaemin was talking about.

And so he asks, “Where? I don’t see it.”

“Right there,” Jaemin points again, “Next to that darker cloud.”

The Siren brings his right arm up to point to the direction in the sky that he had thought Jaemin had been referring to, “There?” And he turns to Jaemin who laid on his right for validation. 

The mercenary looks at him with a chuckle and then moved so that he was on his side, awfully close to Renjun, just a couple inches from hovering right above the beautiful Siren. It was a nonchalant and casual movement, but Renjun still eyed him. 

Jaemin then takes Renjun’s hand and then gets closer to the boy’s face in order to see Renjun’s perspective better, turning so that Jaemin was also looking at the sky. And then taking Renjun’s hand from the back, Jaemin guides his finger to point in the right direction. 

“There,” Jaemin says, face a little too close to Renjun’s, voice low and soft, “Do you see that? The dragon’s eyes, right there,” He says before moving his finger towards the eyes, “And then the jaw,” He moved the two of them again, “And then the tail.”

Renjun stayed silent throughout this whole ordeal and listened to Jaemin as the man talked. Jaemin wasn’t sure if Renjun was paying attention, but he was met with some hums that indicated the smaller was following along. 

“I see it now,” Renjun nods. 

They do this for another expanse of time, filling up the seconds with silly commentary about some clouds that had never done anything to harass them before, and yet Renjun and Jaemin still came up with weird shapes. Candlesticks, possums, mermaids, soap containers. It was fun, and just something that neither of them got to do very often: just act stupid and silly. It was nice to have done that again. 

When the night ends, Jaemin didn’t really want to get up from the rock, for just laying there talking with Renjun sounded more appealing. But alas, his bed was waiting for him at home. And as far as Jaemin knew, Renjun might still hate him, but something told him, Renjun’s hatred for him wouldn’t be as genuine as the boy would have tried to make it sound. 

And so Jaemin pulls himself up in a sitting position, fixing his hair. Renjun follows suit, wrapping the tapestry around his shoulders. Jaemin smiles at the sight and in a state of tiredness, reaches out to pull the tapestry even tighter around the Siren.

And with a small pat, “I’ll leave you with this, and think of me if you ever use it, yeah?”

Renjun just gave him a look, but it wasn’t a completely hostile one, and the Siren responds to him with a lazy, but not fake smile, “Yeah, sure.”

At this, the sellsword goes home with a spirit that is much happier than he had ever intended or allowed it to be. 

And the happy spirit doesn’t die down the next day either. It wasn’t that Na Jaemin was letting himself grow more and more fond of Renjun by the day, it was that it was involuntarily happening. If he had his way, he would be in and out of this mission quickly. 

If he had his way, he wouldn’t spend so much time dilly-dalying around, conjuring complicated plans, and spending so much time in these god forsaken woods. However, he wasn’t having his way this time. Instead, his daily trips down to Renjun’s cove made it all the more easy to involuntarily fall prey to enjoying the Siren’s company. 

Jaemin was a fickle and lone-wolf type of man by nature. He had always been that way. People were always way too caught up in the rules and regulations of business and emotions, or way too dependent on him or on others for his own taste. And ethics and the whole concept of loyalty to the Kingdom plagued everyone’s minds. 

However, with Renjun, Jaemin sometimes left his fickleness and loneliness at home in his estate. The Siren knew how to pick at his nerves, but regardless was interesting as a being. Jaemin liked telling the boy stories too, even if it was just because he liked seeing Renjun’s hair turn from brown to lavender. And he liked hearing Renjun’s stories too. And when they weren’t trading tales, their normal conversations were still full of strange, yet interest topics that appealed to them.

Once in a while, Renjun would sing a small song, and Jaemin would find himself almost entranced by the beautiful voice. When that happened, he played with the sabertooth necklace around his neck, as some sort of reality check that he was safe from the Siren’s allure. 

The first time that Jaemin truly witnesses Renjun being a complete Siren was later that week. Sure, he had seen just the ending part of Renjun pulling a poor man to the depths once, but he had yet to witness a scene in full. In fact, a lot of these days, not many travellers are wandering through the Dark Woods, knowing that it had a reputation for harboring many beasts. However, for sure there were some. 

It had been an average looking day, with blue skies and no clouds. The sun was bright, and left a thin sheen of sweat on Renjun’s body, but for some reason, it only made the boy’s skin glow even more beautifully. 

They had just been sitting under the shade of a tree during the afternoon as Jaemin waited for the intense heat to go away. Renjun said that he didn’t feel any hot, and it took all of Jaemin’s willpower not to say it was because he’s a demon. 

From their distance, suddenly, Renjun’s more acute ears perked up when he heard a sound coming from just outside of the woods. Someone was here, and they were about to suffer the consequences of it.

And then, Renjun bites his lips, “I feel kind of weird with you seeing me in action.”

“Can I warn him to run?” Jaemin ponders, and at this the Siren laughs. 

“You can,” Renjun tells him, in a way that hinted that it would be  _ quite _ hard to do so, “But it won’t do anything. They’re under my spell as soon as they…”

And then from a distance, the leaves were parted, and in revealed a man in his mid 20s, not too far from Jaemin’s age, wearing the uniform of a neighboring Kingdom. Ah, maybe they didn’t force a mandate of not going into the Dark Woods, Jaemin believes. 

As a shitty attempt, Jaemin calls out to the man, “If you’re smart, you’ll turn back now.”

But it was too late, the moment the man laid his eyes on the beautiful Siren that got up from his spot underneath the shade, it was like nothing else mattered. None of Jaemin’s warnings mattered. All of which turned into empty dust. The only line of sight that the mortal man had was straight at the Siren. It was like a second of eye contact was all it took for Renjun’s powerful hypnosis. He didn’t even need to sing. The man came towards him. 

“Hello,” The Siren says with a voice so sweet that it dripped like liquid gold. 

The stranger in question could barely release a hey in return, “Hi.”

Jaemin watches from a distance as the two of them do a bit of conversing. However, Renjun didn’t need much. It wasn’t even the conversing that did the trick. It was the body language. It was the absolute stunning beauty of Renjun, combined with the magic. Jaemin could see the stranger’s knees want to buckle under the presence of the beautiful creature, and Jaemin wondered if that would have been his fate if he took the sabertooth charm off. He didn’t even want to think about it. It was in times like these that he was reminded of the fact that Renjun was a born killer. 

Na Jaemin was not sure whether or not he wanted to take his eyes off of the scene when the stranger reached down to hold Renjun’s face. 

In the Siren’s eyes, Jaemin could see false desire that he was using to lure in the victim. And when the man closed the distance between them, lips crashing into Renjun’s, Jaemin watches from afar as the life slowly gets seeped from the man’s body. They say a kiss from a Siren was the deadliest weapon to the mind of a man, and Jaemin was seeing it happen right in front of his eyes. The body almost looked as if its soul had been sucked out, and when it goes limp, Renjun with the man in tow disappear under the water’s surface. 

Jaemin should be creeped out. Because what he just witnessed was such a strange phenomenon. He should feel scared, or nervous about the Siren. But he doesn’t at all. Maybe it was because Jaemin felt as if he knew him. As if he knew the Siren, albeit a little or a lot. He knew that Renjun might have been a born killer, but it wasn’t something he necessarily chose to do. 

He knew that Renjun thoroughly enjoyed blueberry cake and looking at beautiful sunrises. He knew that Renjun’s laugh makes his eyes scrunch up and that the boy’s favorite fruit are peaches. 

So looking at what he just witnessed, it didn’t feel like the Renjun that he was growing to know. It felt like two different people. So it was hard to disconnect from the scene. Especially, when Renjun looked at the man like that, had his lips slick wet like that, had his hands seductively caressing like that. He was like a different person. 

When Renjun appears back above the surface, he approaches Jaemin with a faint orange hair color. He’s seen it before, early on. Embarrassment, was it? He couldn’t be sure.

The boy asks Jaemin, “You had to see that, didn’t you.” 

And as a response, Jaemin swallows and nods, “Yeah, I did.”

“Why?” Renjun asks with a light laugh, “Do you forget sometimes what I am?”

Jaemin just looked at the mesmerizing boy for a moment and then tells the truth, “Yeah, sometimes I do.”

Renjun tilts his head to the side at this comment, “...Do you now.”

And Na Jaemin tells him honestly, “You being a Siren doesn’t define you. I’ll choose to define you based off of your actions and words.”

At this, the creature looks down and nods more gentle than he had ever seen him be, “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Jaemin affirms and he doesn’t look at Renjun as he says this, but opts rather to look off into the lagoon, “You’re smart. Sometimes funny. An asshole. Beautiful. Sometimes kind. Insightful. Those are what defines you,” Jaemin tells him.

Renjun just stays quiet at this. No one’s really told him anything like that before, and he didn’t truly know what to say. 

But ultimately, the smaller speaks, “Be careful,” He tells Jaemin, “Sometimes the things you say make you kind of like a Siren.”

“Really now,” Jaemin half grins at this, “That only means I’m luring you in. I should do it more often then.”

At this, the Siren just rolls his eyes, “You’re ridiculous.”

“I am, aren’t I,” Jaemin smiles. 

“Yeah,” Comes the response, “You are.”

But it just doesn’t seem as serious as it used to.

  
  
  


“Renjun, have you ever danced before?” Jaemin asks one of those nights. One of those nights where Jaemin stays a little bit longer than he usually does, even though he had been there all day. Been there all day talking to the Siren about things that doesn’t seem to matter, but those were always the things that leaves the largest impressions, aren’t they. It’s only when a pairing is able to talk about stupid topics that indicates comfortbility. And at this point, Jaemin feels just that. Comfortable. He feels comfortable with Renjun, he realized. And when he had realized that, late at night back in his lonely estate, he had cursed himself out. 

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. He was not supposed to feel some sort of friendship with the Siren. It was strictly supposed to be the other way around. Yet, at the same time, he thought, how could he not been expecting this. From the very beginning, Renjun has acted as someone who challenged him and called him out on his bullshit, something that no one really does to Jaemin. From the very beginning, Renjun had empathized with him on most matters despite their differences, whether it was their lack of empathy or innate selfishness. From the very beginning, Renjun had been interesting, from his breathtaking appearance to the strange yet alluring personality that he obtained. 

So now, in Jaemin’s predicament, he had grown comfortable with the Siren. He knows that Renjun felt the same way about him, simply from the way he would see dark red way less often now. Or the way Renjun wouldn’t try to suppress his smile as much anymore. Or the way the Siren would not hesitate to start the conversation first. On one hand, this was a good thing, Jaemin thought. Renjun was growing comfortable with him. But on the other hand, what was  _ not  _ ideal was that he  _ also _ felt comfortable with Renjun. So in the state of things as they are, this felt like it was getting both easier and difficult. 

However, one things that assures Jaemin was the fact that comfortability was all he felt. It was nothing too deep. It was just, if they can call it this, friendship. And he knew that if the opportunity came, he’d still be able to do his task with no hesitation. And that was what assured the sellsword. 

So again, it was one of those nights where Jaemin stays a bit longer. What was there to do at home, but to sleep anyways. 

And so he looks at Renjun now, dressed in a pretty light blue blouse seemingly woven from Satin tucked into tight trousers that accentuated the shape of his legs. 

“Renjun, have you ever danced before?” Jaemin had asked. 

Renjun was a beautiful creature. There was no doubt about it. 

Jaemin may not like him romantically, and never will, but physically, no one in the world would deny that Renjun was stunning. Beautiful face, beautiful shoulders, waist, hips, legs. Jaemin felt a sudden urge to want to dance with him, so that it could be an excuse to find out what it feels like to hold Renjun by that slender waist. Or to slide a hand across those hips. And close the distance between their chest. 

There may be nothing between them romantically, with love being out of the option on Jaemin’s part due to 1. The fact that he was here on a kill order and 2. Na Jaemin simply just does not  _ like _ partners, much less love them, but with that being said, he was curious. And it wouldn’t hurt to act upon his curiosity a little bit, right?

Pursing his lips, the Siren pondered whether to answer, but ultimately did, “No.”

“I want to dance with you,” Jaemin says before picking himself up off the ground and extending a hand out. 

The Siren simply stared at it and then back up at Jaemin, “why?”

“I could give you a real reason or I could give you a fake reason,” Jaemin tells him, “Which one would you like to hear?”

The smaller gives him an amused look, “What’s the fake reason?”

Jaemin looks up and over at the treeline for a moment, formulating his thoughts before turning back to look down at Renjun, “So that I could make you fall in love with me.”

At this, the Siren pauses and tilts his head to the side a little bit in an intrigued confusion, “That...is the fake reason?” 

But Jaemin does nothing but stare back into Renjun’s eyes, his hand still outstretched and would be until he is rejected or accepted. 

And so Renjun asks this instead, “So tell me the real reason then.”

At this, Na Jaemin doesn’t tear his gaze off of Renjun, but instead, goes bold with his words, “Because I want to know how it feels to have your waist in my hands, and your arms on my shoulders.”

Renjun just looked at him, expression almost asking if he was serious. But upon seeing Na Jaemin’s expression, Renjun was even more confused. He  _ was _ serious, but why. And why word it like that? Jaemin sees the Siren’s hair turn peach. And he laughs gently at this, but scolds his head for finding it as cute as it was. 

Jaemin smiled gently at the Siren now and kneels down, putting his hand out still as he comes to the same level as Renjun, “Dance with me. It’ll be fun, I promise.”

Renjun looked at the mercenary for a long moment before glancing down at his feet, “I’ll stumble.”

Jaemin just chuckles at this, “Then we’ll stumble together. I’m not that good either. We can learn together.”

Hearing this, Renjun looked back up at the man, and hates that he doesn’t see the sellsword speaking, but instead, Na Jaemin as a person speaking. He knew that the heartless bastard was in there somewhere, but he just could not see it at the moment. And despite knowing that, Renjun takes his hand. 

Jaemin gently pulls them both to their feet, and he begins by putting both of his hands on Renjun’s waist. Just as he had expected, it fit perfectly in his hands. His large, rougher hands held onto the slender sides like it was built to fit there, and Jaemin wonders if Sirens were just created to be this perfect or if just  _ Renjun _ was just like this. Jaemin steps closer so that their chests were touching and a burning sensation travels down his spine. Renjun puts his hands then on Jaemin’s broad shoulders, eyes refusing to look up at the mercenary. 

“Let me look at you,” Jaemin doesn’t demand, but he just asks. 

Renjun pursed his lips, but then tilts his head up to look at Jaemin, “Looks like you can’t resist a Siren’s looks either.”

“Looks like I can’t,” Jaemin laughs and then he continues. 

“I can’t sing nearly as well as you, but here goes,” Jaemin clears his throat with a soft chuckle and then, they start moving. Right there on the water’s edge, Na Jaemin and Renjun sway to some song that Jaemin was trying to sing. He was not bad, but it was cute. Renjun found himself laughing every time he stepped on the other’s foot, with flashes of pale yellow in his hair when he did so. Jaemin had been lying. He _was_ good at dancing. He just said that he couldn't to make the smaller more comfortable. Something about that warmed the other's heartless cavitity.

And at this moment, as they danced together with only the sound of Jaemin’s singing to serve as music, Renjun’s hair had been a light pink the entire time. 

Light pink. 

It was a new color, and  _ fuck _ , it looked lovely on Renjun’s head. What was it. Jaemin wanted to ask. What did it mean. But he was afraid that if he did, he would make it go away. He’ll ask later, he notes to himself. But not now. Now, the color was so pretty on Renjun that Jaemin wanted to see it on the Siren for longer. He didn’t want it to go away yet, and so they just continued to dance like this. 

His hands stayed close on Renjun’s waist as they seemed to meld bodies as if it fit like a glove in each other’s arms. Jaemin’s singing was not the best, but it made Renjun giggle a little bit, so was that not enough for him? Eventually, the Siren himself sings, a pretty song with a melody that taps into everyone’s hidden melancholy. It was beautiful, and right then, right there, dancing with one another in this cove, Na Jaemin feels like he doesn’t want to go home just yet tonight. 

Don’t let this be over just yet. 

  
  


Jaemin discovers that he likes it more than Renjun’s hair was anything but brown, anything but neutral, apathetic, nonchalant, careless. The color he liked most, was lavender and peach. He also likes when he makes Renjun laugh: yellow. And then, there was always that pink. It hadn’t showed up since that night they danced. Or the mauve color, the night of their picnic Other than that and a couple others, Jaemin hadn’t really seen any more new colors to log into his mental catalogue. 

What he  _ had _ seen though, was a more frequent appearance of the colors he liked: lavender, like the fields in Holland that stretched for miles in neat little rows; peach, like the ones that Renjun likes to pluck from the golden tree and munch on as he tells a story or listens to one; yellow, like pale sunflower petals during a Spring morning. He’d still see the dark red more often than he’d like, as well as the apathetic brown, but that he couldn’t help too much. 

He also has been seeing pink a little more too. Yet when he asks, all Renjun offers him is a smile. 

All he knew is that he liked seeing pretty colors in Renjun’s hair more. 

The mercenary makes it his own personal mission to make Renjun’s life a little more colorful, whether it be through his stories, or through just regular conversation, or small gestures. It almost felt like a rediscovery of emotions. And throughout all of this, Jaemin justifies it by saying it’s all in the name of forwarding the agenda he was always here for. 

He didn’t have to go out of his way to bring some tokens of his past quests all the way out to the cove just so Renjun would have some visual aid when he told his stories, but he does so anyways. Seeing Renjun’s hair turn a lavender as he touched the scales of a serpent or admire a tapestry he picked up from his travels was another point in his book. It’s another step towards his end goal. It just happens to be that Jaemin also likes showing these things to the smaller.

He didn’t have to go out of his way to stay an extra hour sometimes to talk to the Siren, but he does so anyways. Seeing Renjun’s hair turn a pale yellow when he tells a horrible joke was another point in his book. It just happens that Jaemin also finds himself laughing alongside the immortal. 

  
  


He ends up seeing a new color as they approach the end of a new week. That day in particular was bogged down in random tasks that he had to complete in the Kingdom. A ridiculous request from a nobleman’s son to track down his pet bloodhound had him roaming over the West side of the Kingdom looking for the hellbeast. It was a mundane activity, but the nobleman was willing to set out a fair amount of silver for such a simple task, so who was he to deny it. 

On top of that, the bookkeepers, otherwise known as tax collectors, were making their rounds section by section throughout Dasne to collect taxes, and annoyingly, Jaemin would have to be home while they were there. Much to his dismay, they didn’t end up coming until 7 P.M. in the evening. His foot was almost sore from tapping, as he waited for the mandated forces to come to his estate. His tapping echoes on the white marble floors through the hallways of the home built from the finest alabaster in Dasne.

He had been busy all day, with no time to go to the Cove, and it felt strange. After weeks of visiting for hours every day, and keeping himself company with someone which was something he hadn't done for a very long time, it was an odd feeling to be back in the Kingdom for so long. He knows that somewhere out there within the Dark Woods, a beautiful Siren was roaming in its cove with the beautiful glowing waters and fluorescent shrubbery. 

He didn’t know if Renjun was waiting for him, but he liked to think so. He liked to think that he had made some progress with the mission, so that the Siren felt like  _ expecting _ Jaemin every day. It would be a point in his book if Renjun felt this way. 

However, what irked Jaemin, as he waited around, was the fact that it was almost as if he himself  _ also _ felt impatient to see Renjun. It could just be his drive to complete this kill order, but since when had he  _ ever _ had a passionate drive to complete any of his tasks? 

Even if that was the case, it didn’t explain why he almost felt  _ excited _ to tell Renjun about his day, something he never really cared to do with anyone before. Or explain why he almost felt eager to see the Siren again, and watch the hair turn from brown to some other shade, any shade that indicates that the Siren feels  _ something _ . 

By the time the bookkeepers came at around 7 P.M., Jaemin was already pissed at their tardiness and did his best to get him in and out as fast as he could. However, that being said, it was still about 8 P.M. when the bookkeepers actually collected all that they needed to and left. He scowled as they leave, bitter that they took up so much of his time on top of having him wait for hours.

By then, the sky had gotten dark, and a blanket of stars draped itself over the heavens.  _ Fuck _ , Jaemin involuntarily cursed to himself. He knew it was a bit late to be making the trek out to the Cove, but Renjun didn’t sleep anyways as far as he knew. It wasn't a short distance by any means, so it was almost insane to venture into the woods by himself at this time of night, but he almost felt a little lacking today, not being there. 

And so without really thinking much, he straddled his horse and rode until he entered the edge of the Dark Woods, where he tied the animal to a post just outside. Animals don’t venture into the Dark Woods, nor should they knowing that there is plenty out there to kill them. 

Once on foot, Jaemin follows the path that he knows well. It was completely dark within the forest, but he doesn’t call on the pixies tonight. He forces his eyes to adjust and follows the path that he had gotten quite used to by now to the cove. There were hints on the entire trail that he had made himself pick up. That tree with the heart shaped roots. The boulder with a massive dent on its left side. The bush with that one nature Nymph named Yana. Little details that he could still kind of make out in the dark. 

A part of him knew he was being a bit ridiculous. There was no reason why he couldn’t have just skipped this day, and just come tomorrow. He had a perfectly valid excuse as to why he didn’t come the day before. And even if he didn’t have a valid excuse, he didn’t  _ need _ one. No one was forcing him to come every day to the Cove. Not Renjun. Not himself. Not the King. No one set up some rule that he needed to be there. So he knew it was a little ridiculous that he goes anyways. 

And yet, he does. 

He sees the familiar elephant leaves that cover up the entrance to the Siren’s Cove, and he parts those quicker than he wanted to, acting as if he had been looking forward to this all day. His eyes scan around the Cove that was becoming familiar to him. The smooth pebbled bank that they often sat on. The waters that glowed faintly at night, with some fluorescent thin trickles surrounding the cove like tiny waterfalls coming off the ledges. The flowers and some plants that surrounded the cove also glowed this strange fluorescent blue-green, with the flowers ranging from neon purples, pinks, blues, and colors he usually doesn’t see in the Kingdom’s  _ normal _ flowers. 

Undoubtedly, the most beautiful part was the water. It was like liquid neon, but not too bright or overwhelming. Glowing tiny orbs , the size of fireflies, floated around the water’s surface here and there, adding more to the mystical serene feel. Some large rocks sat in the water of the Cove here and there, with only the top quarter of it above the surface. 

On one of them, Jaemin watches him for a moment. Renjun. Sitting on one of those rocks in the water, staring up at the sky as if wishing to get out of this confined space. There was something hauntingly beautiful about the scene. He felt as if there should be some violin music playing right now to fit the ambiance of the scene. 

The Siren was dressed in white. A light, airy fabric made up his top, the color white that was so pale that it reflected the faint blueish-green glow of the water. The shirt was long that it reached to his thighs, and it was almost as if the boy was not wearing any pants, for his pretty legs were on display. 

Something was different tonight. His hair. It was a color he hadn’t seen before. 

A sienna. 

The color was Sienna, which was almost like red clay but not as intense. Even in the night, Jaemin could see the color clearly. Interesting. Usually, when he first sees Renjun on the daily, it’s always brown. However, with no provocation, something was going on in Renjun’s mind to make his hair this shade. 

Na Jaemin takes a step forward and clears his throat as he reaches the water’s edge. 

At the sound, the Siren turns around and his eyes seemed to  _ sparkle _ . Fuck, Jaemin thought,  _ Why the hell does his eyes sparkle? What purpose does that serve _ . But he’d be lying if he said it wasn’t pretty. 

“Jaemin,” Renjun speaks, voice its usual softness. The hair was still the same Sienna color.

The man in question opened his mouth to speak, but he found himself a little unable to because of the way Renjun was looking at him. It was the effect of a Siren, he’s sure of this. But it still made him stop in his steps regardless. 

But ultimately, Jaemin speaks, “Renjun.” That’s all he could let out. 

Renjun then started chuckling a bit, “You actually came at this hour. It’s a little late”

Na Jaemin only nods, “I did.”

The Siren purses his lips at this and then nods, before he puts his arms out on the rock, ready to hoist himself off, “Give me a moment. I’ll come to you.”

“No,” Jaemin interrupts him and makes the creature stop in the middle of what he was doing.

Renjun looks at him and slowly asks, “...No?”

“I’ll come to you,” The sellsword says, looking at Renjun, before moving his gaze down to his own chest. 

Careful not to accidentally hook the sabertooth protective charm off his neck, his long and sturdy fingers move to unbutton his creme-colored blouse. The buttons didn’t go all the way to the bottom of the shirt, so Jaemin reaches down to lift the shirt up and off of his body and then its then tossed onto the pebbled ground. 

Renjun watches all of this without tearing his eyes away. His eyes rake over the handsome mercenary’s body. Shoulders with divots in them where his muscles were, biceps with clear definition, forearms that had a line of prominent veins running down them, and sculpted abdomen. What else had Renjun been expecting? 

This was a well trained, well toned fighter. Of course he would look like this. Jaemin felt the gaze upon him, and for a moment there, it almost felt like Jaemin held all the power. Na Jaemin drops his trousers, but leaving the undergarments on, and steps into the water. He had an idea on where it gets deep, but he avoids that area like a plague. Renjun just keeps his eyes on the man as Jaemin makes his way closer to the rock he was sitting on. 

The glowing water was parted by Jaemin’s body, and it was a mesmerizing sight. The tiny glowing orbs floating around him like fairy lights. Occasionally, a glowing petal from one of the fluorescent flowers would fall onto the water’s surface, and it would maintain its brightness even then. As he reaches the rock, Jaemin rests his arms on the boulder and then puts his head on top of his crossed arms, looking up at the beautiful Siren. 

“You’re just going to sit there?” Jaemin asks him then, not tearing eye contact with the immortal.

Renjun tilts his head slightly, “What should I do then?”

Na Jaemin had a simple answer to this. He asks Renjun directly, “Join me.”

The Siren looks at him for a moment, pondering it. And Jaemin is patient. He waits.

Then, Renjun brings his slender fingers up to untie the knot in the middle of his small waist. It made light work, but Jaemin kept his eyes on the string as it slips off, and then along with it, the large flowy shirt that previously hugged Renjun’s body. It fell back onto the rock, and suddenly, the Siren was in nothing but his undergarments as well. His hair was still a Sienna. But Jaemin barely paid attention to that. All he could think about was just how  _ captivating _ the Siren was. Every inch of skin felt like it served a greater purpose: making Renjun look irresistible. Every curve, every divot, every expanse looked perfectly placed, as if the Gods had painted Renjun themselves. 

_ Shit _ , Jaemin accidentally breathily says out loud. 

Renjun tilts his head to the side, “Come again?”

“I said,” Jaemin says while using his upper body strength to push himself upwards on the rock, until his elbows were holding up his upper body while his lower body was still underwater, “Get in here.”

And with that, Jaemin had one elbow holding him up on the rock, and he removed one arm to reach out to wrap around the Siren’s small waist and pull him close and towards him. When Renjun’s body fell close, Jaemin releases the elbow that had been holding him up and brings them both into the water, with Renjun by the waist. Jaemin knew that Renjun could have resisted if he wanted to. He knew this from the day they first met each other. Jaemin could not physically force the smaller to do anything if he didn’t allow it. So with that in mind, Jaemin makes a mental note that Renjun had not resisted. 

In fact, he doesn’t resist now, even as they are both in the glowing water, and Jaemin’s hand, although looser on the boy’s waist, still had a couple fingers there resting. The two of them had the reflection of the glow shining on their faces. It was a picturesque sight, no less. 

They kind of floated around in place there for a bit, not really saying much to each other. At least in words, for, Jaemin could see words in Renjun’s eyes that he just couldn’t decipher and translate yet. Maybe his own eyes were saying something too. Something that Renjun couldn’t decipher. Who knows. 

FInally, the Siren takes a pause before asking the sellsword as they move around in slow circles in the water, “Is everything...alright?”

“What do you mean?” Jaemin asks.

Renjun just shrugs, as if he was nonchalant, but if he truly were nonchalant, then his hair wouldn’t still be Sienna colored.  _ What was it _ , Jaemin tried to figure it out. 

The Siren then speaks, “You just came late.”

“Oh,” Jaemin explains, figuring he probably should have earlier, “I’ve been stuck running errands all day. And some tax collectors came by late, but I had to stay for that.”

Renjun nods, “So you’re okay?”

At this, the sellsword feels some sense of accomplishment and he smiles, gesturing up to the boy’s sienna colored hair, “Why? Did you miss me? Is that why your hair is like that?”

With that mention, Renjun looks up at his own fringe and holds up a piece of his hair, “This? Oh no, that’s not it.”

“No?” Jaemin asks, “So what is it?”

Renjun purses his lips, but then shakes his head. The color now turns back to brown, “Don’t worry about it.”

But Jaemin doesn’t drop it. He was just curious, that’s all, “Have you felt it before?”

Renjun without thinking of how he should answer it shakes his head, “No.”

“So you lied to me the other week,” Jaemin says, with no hostility, just intrigue, “When you told me you didn’t know what peach meant because you’ve never felt it before, that was just an excuse right?"

Renjun just pursed his lips and just looks at the handsome sellsword. 

Jaemin continues, "You don’t need to have felt it before to know what it is, do you? It’s just emotions after all.” He deduces, “You just don’t want to say.”

Renjun just stays tight lipped about this, but gives Jaemin a look that kind of said  _ you’re overstepping your boundaries. _

But Jaemin just sets it straight, “I don’t care that you lied. I’m just curious now. If you won’t tell me how you feel, and I can’t figure it out for myself, then…” He moves closer, “I’d have to test for myself…”

Renjun moves back at this, “What do you mean.”

But Jaemin keeps moving forward until Renjun’s back his the rock wall again gently, “Stay still. It won’t hurt.” 

Renjun gives the man a concerned look, and was about to protest, but Jaemin puts one hand gently on his waist and the other one reaches up to his own necklace. The sabertooth.

As quickly as he had said it, Jaemin uses the pendant, still on his neck, and sharply strikes it across the Siren’s collar, using the sharp tooth to cut through the skin. And then he watched. Renjun watches too, not sure what he was looking for. 

But Jaemin watches the cut. It bled gold. Ichor. And then it closes up. 

Renjun then looked up at the mercenary, and narrowed his eyes, “And what exactly are you testing for?”

Jaemin moves back in the water, “You won’t tell me what color’s what, right? Then I’d got to make sure to see if you’re still bleeding ichor.” _To see if you're still immortal_.

At this, Renjun’s hair turns a pale yellow and he laughs. However, this wasn’t the laugh that Jaemin liked: the carefree one, or the one that he does when Jaemin tells a bad joke. This was an ironic, bitter laugh. 

The Siren gives him a look as if he was ridiculous, “You don’t actually think I’ve fallen in love with you already, do you?”

Jaemin tells him, “I didn’t think so. That’s why I said it won’t hurt.”

Renjun raises a brow, “So why you’d just do it just now.”

Jaemin says as he moves a bit closer, tilting his head downwards to meet Renjun’s eyes, “But maybe I just wanted an excuse to pin you against that wall and touch you like this,” He says in a lower voice as he places his hand burningly on Renjun’s bare waist.

Renjun was not shy, and he stepped closer in the water, close enough to whisper a single word in Jaemin’s ear.

“Bullshit,” Renjun tells him before pulling his head back. 

Jaemin waits for him.

The Siren then smiles sweetly, hair still a pale yellow, “What a dumb excuse. You were actually dumb enough to think I’ve fallen for you, weren't you?”

Na Jaemin opens his mouth to speak. 

But Renjun and his smart mouth interjected, “Besides, if you wanted to touch me, you could just ask,” The Siren teases him, with the raise of an eyebrow and a sneer on his lips, “I’m a Siren after all. I am the master in the art of seducti-”

But before Renjun could finish his sentence, Na Jaemin had stepped forward and picked up the Siren by the waist, before sliding his hands down to those thighs and bring them up to wrap around Jaemin’s own waist as he moved forward and pushed the Siren’s back up against the rock wall once more. 

Renjun let out a small yelp at the sudden movement, but his legs stayed wrapped around Jaemin’s waist as the taller has his hands resting on his hips and now, Jaemin’s face was a little too close. 

But the mercenary did not do anything. Instead, at the sound of Renjun’s silence, Na Jaemin just smirks as he gets real close, so close that their breath almost lingers and tells the Siren simply, “Who’s talking now?”

And Renjun simply goes tongue tied, lips partly opened but unable to make a sound from his own assassin being  _ so _ close to him. And then, Jaemin sees it. Another color. An eggplant color: Mauve. His hair was mauve. It had showed up once or twice before, but never in situations where he wanted the to show up. Jaemin had a feeling. He had a feeling he knew what this was, but he couldn’t be sure.

He had a hunch though, from the way Renjun was speechless yet had his lips parted like that. From the way his legs stayed wrapped around Jaemin’s waist and hands still on his shoulders. But he could not be sure. He could never be sure with Renjun. 

He looks up at the hair color and then back at Renjun, giving the Siren another knowing smirk, “Should I test out this color too?” Referring to the whole idea with the sabertooth just moments earlier. 

At this, Renjun’s hair loses the mauve color and a dark red overtakes it. Anger.  _ Oh fuck _ , Jaemin thinks, but he doesn’t have much time to do that, for in less than three seconds, Renjun, still in their position, moves his hand to lift Jaemin’s chin up to face him, almost grabbing at his lower face. The Siren’s eyes were full of challenge and intensity, “Listen here, mortal.”

Jaemin didn’t back down, especially when they were in a position like this. Maybe Renjun  _ was _ truly angry, but how angry could he possibly be if they were still stuck like this. So instead, Jaemin pulls him tighter on his hip until the space between them almost feels microscopic. He could feel Renjun's pretty body pressed up tightly against his, and he'd be lying if it didn't excite him. 

He hears Renjun releasing a breath, but not pushing him away as their faces get  _ so _ awfully close. Jaemin then snickers as he says, “Listening.”

At the change in position, Renjun swallowed, with Jaemin noticing it instantly, but regardless, his hair stayed a dark red, “You’re here to make me fall in love with you, right? Well,” the Siren then laughs almost dangerously, “Two can play that game. And trust me when I say this,” He then smiles sickeningly as he rests his forehead against Jaemin’s own, “I  _ never _ lose. I will watch you grow old and die before I let you win.” He almost seethes. 

Jaemin just grins, somewhat maniacally as he is getting more and more fired up from the provoking words dripping like poison from the smaller’s sweet lips, and he just fires back with a jabbing, “There’s a first time for everything. And if you ask me,” Jaemin whispers to him in the small distance between them, “Just judging from this,” He looks down at the position they were both in and the clear tension suffocating the air before looking right back into the Siren’s intense eyes, “I don’t think you’re as safe as you think.”

Renjun stares at him with hatred in his eyes, hair fiery, but doesn’t move, but instead offers the words, “Says the one who started this.”

“Tell me to let go then,” Jaemin gives him a lazy grin that was dripping with provocation, “All you have to do is ask. You know as well as I do that I can’t physically put you in a position that you don’t allow me to. Strength of a thousand men, remember?” And then he tilts his head teasingly, “Or were you hoping that I’d forget?”

At this, Renjun pushes him off, to which Jaemin lets go easily. The smaller then bites on his lower lip as if trying to hold back violence, “I hate you.”

Jaemin just snickers, “You know you don’t. You might not like me. But you know damn well you don’t hate me.”

“Yeah?” Renjun asks, “And what makes you believe that?”

Jaemin purses his lips while looking up towards the sky, as if he was thinking. Hate was a strong word. It was used for situations that emit that strong type of energy. Hate was not the word to use between them, at least not anymore. Not when Renjun spends a lot of his time with lavender hair these days. Not when they confide in each other little things that most other people will never ever get to know about them. Not when they just were in the position they were in mere moments ago. 

No, that was not hate. No matter how much Renjun could try to lie, he must have known there was no true hate, Jaemin thought. He knows that this was a dangerous game they were playing. So dangerous that one way or the other, they were spiraling down a thorn infested path, with death's door waiting at the end for one of them. Either Na Jaemin will die of being outlived by the Siren, and never successfully completes this quest. Or the Siren that haunts the Cove of the Dark Woods will. Yet with that in mind, he still knew that the journey there will reveal more truths than he had ever intended to find out. And as they float there now, in the gorgeous glowing waters of the lagoon at some time in the night when the rest of the Kingdom has gone to bed, he revels in the beauty of it all. 

He revels in the beauty of the cove, of its flowers that hiss when a pixie gets too close to its neon petals, of its waters that churned gently and created an ambient hue. And as of right now, he reveled in the beauty of the Siren, who had calmed down a bit now and was just moving slowly in the water, the two of them almost creating circles around each other. 

When Jaemin finally talked, all that he offered in response was one word: “Intuition.”

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you guys so much for reading, for your comments, kudos, and literally just everything <3   
> I could not ever ask for any of it, so I'm so grateful! 
> 
> twt: temposlvt  
> previous: Where The Water Hides Your Tears, The Brightest Stars Shine Here, To Split A Soul


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Word Count in case you're busy! : 18k
> 
> chapter continues directly off of last chapter's events <3

  
  
  


“Intuition, huh,” Renjun had said in response. 

The water in the cove seemed to shine brighter, or maybe it was because the heavy tension between them now was unbearable, so each had to focus on quite anything else.  _ You know damn well you don’t hate me _ , Na Jaemin had said. And he truly believed this. Jaemin knew what hate was. 

Hate was an irrevocable feeling that anyone would know how to recognize, for a person could feel hate from their very core. It was sharp, snapping, and didn’t look like this: it didn’t look like afternoons spent next to the waters exchanging stories about each of their individual experiences. It didn’t look like Renjun’s legs wrapped around his waist, as he had been pressed up against the rock wall just a couple minutes earlier. It didn’t look like the different shades of lavender, peach, and sometimes pink that would show up on the Siren’s hair these days. 

No, that wasn’t hate. There was no  _ hate _ in this game they were playing. Dislike? Maybe. Caution? Definitely. But if Jaemin was confident about nothing else in the world, then he would be confident about this. The Siren, no matter  _ how _ much he convinces himself that he hated the mercenary,  _ didn’t _ . 

And Jaemin knew that Renjun knew that too. There had been too much time spent together these past few weeks for Renjun to  _ truly _ hate Jaemin, especially when the sellsword did the things he did. When he would surprise him with the picnic, or spend the night making up shapes for the clouds, or engage him in conversation for hours. It made it  _ really _ difficult to hate Na Jaemin.

“Yes, intuition,” Jaemin tells him now. He was in the water, waist deep at least and droplets dripped from his shoulders and curved its way around his defined ab muscles as it travelled down South hitting the surface once more. 

They stood a couple feet apart, but the residual tension that lingered between them was thick. Jaemin continued, voice less forceful and triumphant this time, “I know you don’t hate me as much as I say you do, Renjun.” 

What Renjun  _ did _ hate was that the man’s voice was soft now as he was speaking to him. That it was as delicate to him as a pretty petal on a rose. However, one thing that was crucial to a rose’s identity: its thorns. And the Siren knew for a fact that this rose in particular,  _ Na Jaemin _ , came with  _ plenty  _ of thorns. 

And so the Siren responds now, with complete sincerity as he says this, “Maybe not,” He admits quietly. There was no point in lying. Jaemin knew, and made it  _ clear _ that he knew. But Renjun was not finished. So he continues, “But trust me, if I could, I would.”

Hate was not something you could make yourself feel or something you could make yourself  _ not _ feel. Hate was powerful, and just like love, it was uncontrollable. So how could he help it if he truly could not  _ hate _ Na Jaemin? Force himself into a false narrative that he did? No, he can say with full confidence that he disliked Jaemin a lot at times, to an  _ incredible _ amount at times, but he didn’t hate the man, even if he wanted to. 

What he  _ can _ say in full confidence though, is that despite all of that, Renjun would still have no problem killing Na Jaemin, for then, it would save him from these conflicting emotions brewing in his stomach. It would save him the trouble of dealing with a tiny mortal’s existence, like he had been doing for as long as he had been created and placed on this Earth. It would save him from all of it.

At this telling, yet frustrating answer, Jaemin shakes his head, “But you don’t. So stop trying to act like you do, and come here.”

Renjun raised a brow at the mercenary, “Come where.”

Renjun knew where. He just wanted to see if the sellsword was actually as stupid as he made himself look. And it seemed like Jaemin knew this too, for the man had no qualms calling the Siren out.

“You know where,” Na Jaemin spoke with suggestion in his voice, and suddenly, it felt like their natural roles were reversed. When the Siren was the one who was supposed to do the seducing, Jaemin had no trouble doing it himself. 

But then, Renjun laughs and starts swimming the opposite direction, “Yes, away from you. You’re an idiot. You know that?”

He did. Jaemin did know that, and he confessed it too, “I can be.”

“No, you  _ definitely _ are,” Renjun humored. 

And just like that, the mood was over. 

Jaemin let out a light-hearted chuckle as he began swimming after the Siren in question. They just had a packed and heavy conversation, yet it could transition out of it easily. He swam after Renjun, and they went about like that for a while until some of the tension dissipated. Jaemin no longer felt heat travelling up his spine, and he allowed himself to calm down a little bit. And enjoy the Cove for what it was.

There was something about the serenity of the night that relaxed the both of them. When something is so beautiful--the water, the bright moon, the flowers, the trickling--how could anyone feel the need to fight. Not now at least. Now, Renjun swam around the cove, splitting the glowing blue waters as he did so. Jaemin is often on his trail, tracing behind while engaging in some conversation. They try to forget what just happened earlier. 

“So if you get completely dismembered,” Jaemin asked, “Would your body grow back? And from what part? Your arms, head, legs? Kind of like a lizard?”

Renjun gave him a look of horror, “First of all, why would you implant that image in my head. Secondly, if you took that necklace off, Jaemin, you would come to know that I am  _ quite _ strong, and that I could not be physically dismembered if Hercules himself tries.”

“Hercules,” Jaemin repeats, “Damn. So I really have no chance.”

“Nope,” Renjun grins, “You want to test it out?”

Jaemin laughs at this weak attempt, “No, I’m good.”

They swam until Jaemin’s limbs got tired. Renjun’s limbs never got tired, to which the mercenary was slightly jealous of. At the end of the night, Jaemin could not be sure what time it was, but it doesn’t really matter at the moment. His head was just clouded in the euphoria of company that he was barely letting himself admit was nice, and refreshing water. He climbs up onto the shore and lays back on the smooth pebbled ground, letting his skin dry off. Moments later, the Siren joins him and they lay a foot apart..

There was still that entire fiasco that happened just hours earlier, and yet, feeling Renjun’s legs wrapped around his waist like that, feeling the Siren grab at his jaw like that even when spitting harsh words into his face, feeling their bodies pressed up against one another even though it was pure cruel tension between them: it still all lingered in Jaemin’s head. 

And so they lay there for a while, drying off and laughing a little more. It was nice, seeing Renjun’s hair turn yellow or a smile grace his daintily beautiful face. Jaemin figured how much of a burden that probably was on Renjun. To always have to reveal what he was feeling, no matter what it was. At least with being human, Jaemin had that privacy, for if his own hair changed color like Renjun’s did, the Siren would probably see that Jaemin himself would have lavender or yellow hair quite often when talking to him. He guesses that was the price of immortality. The world had a funny way of working like that. If love, an emotion, was to be the cause of a Siren’s death, then emotions as a whole would be made glaringly obvious through his hair. It was like the universe  _ wanted _ this to be a game. 

When Jaemin went home later, it felt strange. He walks through the Dark Woods, following the pixies out, but he doesn’t talk to them like he usually would.  _ Renjun doesn’t seem to hate you that much anymore _ , they said. But Jaemin barely paid attention, for his mind was elsewhere. 

It was on the fact that although he was heading out of the woods and towards his  _ home _ , in Dasne, for some reason, he felt almost more comfortable back there in the cove. Like it was his own form of escapism. And that, in light of what this mission demanded of him, was quite alarming. 

Something changes after that night. Well, the truth was that something changes after every night, whether it be a little or a lot. A little bit more confiding. A little bit more laughter. A little bit more smiles on not just Renjun’s part, but Jaemin’s. In a way, it felt like Jaemin was inciting a rediscovery of emotion for the Siren. While in the beginning, Renjun’s hair only changed once in a while, away from the neutral brown shade that was bland, emotionless, and passionless, now Renjun expresses himself a lot more in a variety of colors that Jaemin doesn’t even have all figured out yet. 

It was pretty. No, it was more than that. It was beautiful. 

When Na Jaemin comes the next day, he doesn’t really have any plans in mind. He honestly didn’t need to. He knew that even if he did not come with some activity he intended to do, he’d still be able to converse with the Siren. And like or not, he knows that was his favorite part. Renjun’s voice is still just as pretty when he speaks, when he tells Jaemin about some stories he picks up along his way, or when he sings. 

Despite Renjun being able to tell so many stories of his conquests with sailors or travellers, the Siren never really has any of his  _ own _ . No tales of experiences or anything of the sort. 

For that, he relies on Na Jaemin, who doesn’t mind telling Renjun about those balloons in Cappadocia or the sand snakes of the Bingal Empire. He doesn’t really mind. Especially not when it turns Renjun’s pretty hair lavender, a sign that he was doing well. 

Jaemin constantly reaches up to play with the sabertooth necklace that sat on his chest, as a constant reminder of two things. One is that Renjun, no matter how close they get and no matter how perfectly  _ normal _ and  _ beautiful _ the Siren may be, is still a dangerous creature. Two, is that it reminds him that he is here for the Siren’s head, and nothing more, nothing less. 

It was necessary to remind himself of this, because he wasn’t going to lie: with Renjun, it was sometimes easy to forget. 

“So you’re saying in Catalonia, there’s a tradition of making human towers?” Renjun asks in shock. 

Jaemin nods, “Yeah. They just climb on top of each other’s shoulders, and make a tall stack.”

The Siren thinks about this, and imagines the sight in his mind. It was odd for him to hear about so many different customs and cultures. It made the cove he lived in feel so small, even with the life he lived that was so long. And then, Renjun tears his sight away from the sellsword and towards the water a couple feet away from them. 

“I bet that’d be cool to see,” Renjun comments, voice not as unwavering as it usually was. 

And Jaemin could hear it in the Siren’s tone. His hair turns a murky gray color, and Jaemin frowns. He was getting a strong feeling that the boy was sad about something. Na Jaemin looks over to the creature, “It was.”

And then, the Siren goes quiet for a moment. Jaemin could tell he was thinking. Of what, he wasn’t sure. But the wistful look on the pretty face hinted that it wasn’t all happy thoughts. 

“Hey,” Jaemin says while sitting up straight, body turning towards the smaller, “Renjun.”

The Siren in question turns his head and hums in acknowledgement. 

“Let’s make a bucketlist,” Jaemin then says.

“A bucketlist?” Renjun asks. 

“Yes,” The sellsword explains, “A list of things you want to do before you die.”

“But…” The Siren gives him a weird look, “I don’t die.”

“Then just pretend,” Jaemin says while he thinks  _ but you will _ , “It makes your life feel happier when you believe you have consequences for not living well.”

Renjun furrowed his brows at the statement, “Do...you live by that?”

At this, Na Jaemin paused and pursed his lips as he thinks long and hard about it. Does he? Living well. What does that even mean? Did it mean expediting all of his energy in hopes that it’ll give his life a little more meaning? Did it mean making a ton of reckless decisions if it made him feel something in the moment? 

Unsure, Jaemin says outright, “I…” He found it difficult to come up with an answer, “...don’t know.”

Renjun gives him a funny look then, hair turning pale yellow, “How do you expect me to follow your advice, if you don’t follow your own.”

Laughing ironically, the sellsword shrugs. Maybe he had been talking out of his ass all along, “I guess we can just find out together.”

And without waiting for a reply from the Siren, Jaemin gets up to where he slung his satchel over a boulder and rummages around until he finds some loose sleeves of paper and a pen. When he makes his way back over to where the Siren sat near the water’s edge, he situates himself comfortably, unclicking the pen, then looks over at the beautiful creature. 

“So,” Jaemin starts, not tearing away his eye contact from Renjun’s, “What’s something you want to d-”

“I’m not doing this,” Renjun interrupts, deadpanning, as he is not interested in pretending to be hopeful. 

The mercenary simply stares at Renjun for a good few moments, not breaking gazes as he waits to see if Renjun would change his mind, but figures the silence that he received was his answer. Sighing, Jaemin just shrugs, “Alright then. Let’s do me then. I want to…”

Jaemin thinks about it. What  _ does _ he want to do, that he has not yet? He had travelled most of the world, had eaten most of the finest foods, met the finest people. What more could he want? He knew that was a loaded question. And so he thought about it, all the while hovering his pen above the blank paper. He can feel Renjun’s eyes watching him from a distance. 

“I want to get a pet,” Jaemin chuckles, before writing it down. His handwriting looked like scribbles, but to him, it was completely legible, “I live alone, so a pet would be nice. I’m thinking a dog. But I’d be open to the idea of magical pets.”

Renjun giggled at this, “You want a  _ pet _ ?”

“Yeah,” Jaemin responded, not seeing any problem, “It gets lonely in my bed sometimes.”

“Is it?” Renjun inquired, “even after all that company that you keep?”

Jaemin snickered at this, “Yeah, even after all the company.”

“What a shame,” Renjun tsked.

“It is, isn’t it,” Jaemin humored back, “You could join me.”

At this, the Siren’s hair turns a pretty peach and he rolled his eyes, “Just get a dog.”

Jaemin shakes his head with a sneer, “Where’s the fun in that,” Before clearing his throat, “I also...want to get some land from the East Indies.”

Renjun raised a brow at this, “What kind of lame bucketlist is this?”

The sellsword laughs at the comment, “If you can do one better, by all means.”

Renjun knew this was a trick, and yet he gave in anyways, “Fine.”

Jaemin tore out a page until it was blank and got his pen ready. He looked up from the notebook in anticipation for Renjun’s thoughts, and caught the Siren’s eye. 

It wasn’t as if it were the first time that they had seen each other, but for the split second that Jaemin looked up and directly caught the pretty creature’s eyes, he felt a heat burning in his chest. Renjun had an alluring gaze, that was for sure. 

“Well…” Renjun then looked down, messing with the pebbles underneath him, “I want to go to Mykonos.”

At this, Na Jaemin couldn’t help but grin stupidly as he wrote it down, “Mykonos? Is it because of the story I told you a while back?”

Renjun stayed quiet in regards to the assumption, only proving Jaemin correct.

The mercenary smiles some more, “It is, isn’t it.”

Calling him out like this made the Siren’s hair turn a pale shade of orange, and suddenly, Jaemin felt bad about picking it out because of how it made Renjun feel all of a sudden.

It almost felt like Jaemin was teasing him. 

The Siren got defensive and turned away, “You know what, never mind,” Renjun bit, “If you’re going to be like this, then I don’t wan-”

“No,” Jaemin interrupted him, and took a moment to take back reign of the situation, “Renjun, I’m glad that it’s because of me.”

He didn’t know what drove him to say this, but he did. He let it slip, and for this moment, it seemed like Jaemin didn’t need to have color-changing hair for his emotion to be revealed, for he had let it slip on his own. There was a part of him that was happy that Renjun felt this way because of him, or well, because of his stories. A part of him that felt proud that the Siren was interested, enough to dream about going there himself. 

But then, Jaemin recognized the reality. Neither of them were in the position to be feeling this way. Jaemin, because of what his quest entails him to do. Renjun, because the Siren could  _ not _ physically leave.  _ What am I doing with myself, _ Jaemin thought: being happy over something like this. Why the fuck. It was useless to feel this way. 

But the way Renjun’s hair stopped being that pale orange and the way the Siren looked at him after that statement made him stop dead in his thoughts. It was a look that was laced with surprise, but also curiosity over whether or not this was genuine. Or was it just another ruse. 

“Seriousl-” Renjun huffed.

But once more, Jaemin interrupted, “I’m being serious, Renjun. I’m happy I can help you feel that way.”

Renjun turned away at this and narrowed his gaze at the ground where they sat. He rolled his eyes, “I don’t believe you. I’ll never believe you.”

For some reason, that felt a little worse than he had expected. Jaemin was surprised at himself at how frustrating it felt to be telling the truth--a truth that even he didn’t particularly like--and no matter what he says or does, he will never be believed. 

“Fine. Sure,” Jaemin says, and he tries not to look frustrated by smiling at the Siren, “So, Mykonos. What else do you want to do.”

Renjun is still a little bit quiet, but Jaemin is a patient man. He had to be, for Renjun was not making this mission very easy on him. The Siren doesn’t seem like he was going to answer, but just as Jaemin was about to give up, the mercenary hears another bucketlist item. 

“I want to see the sunset in Atlantis,” Renjun mutters, not meeting Jaemin’s eyes. And the hair turns peach. It doesn’t fade away after a couple moments, but stays there. It’s pretty. 

Jaemin finds it hard to look away for a moment, but he does so anyways to write the item down, all the way adding a little commentary, “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Renjun affirms and then clears his throat, trying to find a bit more confidence, “I also want to camp on a desert dune.”

Jaemin writes that down, but he chuckles, “And why would you want to do that?”

“I love water and all,” Renjun shrugs, “But I can get sick of it, being around it all the time. I want to go somewhere dry.”

“Makes sense,” Jaemin mutters, as he finishes the item, “But just saying, the desert isn’t as nice as you think it might be.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Renjun chides, “It would be an experience.”

“Put a masquerade ball on the list,” Renjun adds, ordering him around, “That sounds cool.”

“It is,” Jaemin chides while writing it down, “I’ve been to a couple.”

“Really?” Renjun’s hair turns a beautiful lavender, “Tell me about it later.”

“I can tell you about it now,” Jaemin looks up from his notebook and right into the Siren’s stunning gaze. He keeps himself perfectly composed without any struggle, but his hands go up to the sabertooth around his neck as if to make sure the magic was still working. It was intimidating. That was all.

Renjun pursed his lip and shook his head, “Afterwards. I want to finish this bucketlist. Put going to a botanical garden on the list. I’ve never seen one.”

Jaemin nods and jots it down. 

Renjun ends up getting lost in this whimsical fantasy of fulfilling his bucketlist, and by the time they were finished, the Siren had over fifty items that he will never get to check off. Maybe it had been a bit morbid of Jaemin to have suggested they do this, but it looked now that the Siren was happy. 

When Renjun would list off something he wanted to do, it felt like a little spark shined in the creature’s eyes as he wistfully fantasized about a reality where he wouldn’t have to give up his immortality for the adventures he wanted to go on. It was nice seeing Renjun caught up like this, excited and dream-filled. It almost made Na Jaemin feel bad. But he made sure to himself: never to feel  _ too _ bad. This was a killer, just like him. Not only this, but this was his  _ target _ . 

The list spanned three pages, and Jaemin wonders whether to keep it in his notebook or give it to Renjun; however, he wasn’t sure exactly  _ where _ the Siren would keep it. 

“Would you...have any place to put this?” Jaemin asks hesitantly, understanding that the Siren was essentially  _ homeless _ , without a physical home or so it seemed. 

“I don’t,” Renjun shook his head, “Just keep it,” And then a cloudy grey took over his hair, a color that Jaemin had only seen a handful of times, “It probably doesn’t serve me well to be so wistful over fantasies anyways.”

Jaemin is quiet. He had brought this on. 

But Renjun just gives a small smile and shrugs, “The fantasy was nice while this lasted though, I must admit, Na Jaemin.”

“Well,” Jaemin tells him, “I’m glad.”

A beat of silence, as the Siren gauges the situation and the words. 

“Right.”

They converse like normal for the rest of their evening, except what’s normal for them may not be normal for  _ other  _ people. Normal for the two of them now meant spending an absurd amount of hours just talking. It was too the point where the Siren was suspicious as to whether or not Na Jaemin actually  _ has _ a life outside of his job, for him to have this much free time to spend with the lonely creature. 

When confronted, Jaemin always comes up with some excuse. Jaemin tells him about his masquerade ball experiences, and throughout the entire time, Renjun looks wistfully on with the beautiful lavender hair that Jaemin doesn’t feel himself getting sick of looking at. He tells him about the beautiful gowns, and the bejewelled masks, and the music. 

“Do you go with a partner?” Renjun asks, chin on his palm.

“Of course,” Jaemin nods, “It’s a ball. You  _ must _ go with a partner.”

Renjun nods in understanding, “Who do you take?”

The man just shrugs, “Members of the lady’s court. Or whoever I’d feel like bringing that night.”

“Quite a selection you have, don’t you,” Renjun raises one eyebrow teasingly at this, and Jaemin would be lying if the tease didn’t amuse him. 

“You could say that,” Jaemin chuckles. 

And they would just continue their conversations like normal afterwards. This was important: conversation. 

It was the key to any type of development within a friendship or a relationship. Closeness cannot solely be measured by physical efforts, but also by emotional ones, such as taking the time to know someone. To ease into subjects with someone about things that matter  _ and _ things that don’t. And Jaemin admits, this is coming along a lot more compatably than he originally thought. That being said, he was a man on a mission. And he was not going to forget it, if he can’t help it. 

When the night comes to a close, they chase after the last whispers they had left in their lungs until it was time to go home. At least for Jaemin. For Renjun, who knows what the Siren does until morning. Lure in more men lurking by in the night? Or does he just sit there, next to the glowing waters and fluorescent flowers, waiting for the next day to come? Was that the only sense of time management he had?

Jaemin leaves every night. And then, he comes again every afternoon. Sometimes in the morning. Sometimes evening, if he had been busy that day. But always with enough ample time to talk to the Siren. He hadn’t missed a day yet. He had no obligation to. No one was telling him to do anything. He just did. He was just dedicated to his job. That was all. 

  
  


“It’s cold,” Jaemin mentioned one evening. It was about 6 P.M., and the weather felt unnatural for the season. So both of them knew that a storm front would be coming in a couple days, if it was slightly chilly outside now. The air was crisp around him as he walked through the Dark Woods coming to the cove. The path that he took was just about engraved in his feet, that the nymphs or gnomes that frequented that path often said hello to him as he passed. 

He had walked into the cove just as Renjun resurfaced from the waters. Must’ve gotten someone, Jaemin thought, with a slightly cautious feeling in his gut. 

He wondered, hand going up to palm the pendant, how fast Renjun would kill him and treat him to the same fate at the bottom of the lagoon if he were to take this off. Strange curiosity, wasn’t it. He snapped out of it and headed down to the smooth pebbled cove bed, where he met Renjun halfway.

The gorgeous being wore the lightest shade of lavender on his body, in the form of a silky looking robe that seemed to flutter as he walked. Jaemin hoped, that maybe the lavender would transfer to his hair at some point today also. 

He’d think that he would have been used to seeing Renjun after all this time, all of these repeated visits that would last for hours and would leave him eager to come back against his own will afterwards. He’d thought that seeing Renjun would no longer phase him, but it didn’t. 

It was irrational wasn’t it. To be shocked each time still by just how Renjun looked. But Jaemin chalked it up to just that. It was just how Renjun looked. The Siren’s power just had a strong effect. Renjun had been so incredibly mixed as of late. On some days, it felt perfect. Everything seemed to be fine, maybe even more than fine. 

Some days, Renjun greets him with an unexpected smile, and laughs prettily and freely when Jaemin tells him something. Some days, Renjun and him spend their evening laying back against some boulder on the ground, slowly picking out a loaf of rosemary bread or some other snack that Jaemin decides to bring for them. Some days, Jaemin forgets what he’s here for. 

But other days, the Siren doesn’t greet him at all, but just sits near the water’s edge as Jaemin approaches, even when he knew that the man was in the vicinity. Other days, Renjun’s hair is a stark brown or dark red when he sees Jaemin. Either apathy or anger. No warmth in his eyes at all, and all Jaemin could see in the other was disdain and sneers. Those days leave a bitter taste in Na Jaemin’s mouth. He much prefers the pretty colors on Renjun’s hair. The  _ happy _ colors. 

But at the same time, he knows that not everyone can be happy all of the time. And just like everyone else, the Siren feels complex emotions. He wants to reach out, to say something, or do something. But he knows for a fact that Renjun doesn’t believe anything he does is genuine. And maybe to some extent, the Siren was right. Was it all genuine? Was this all 100% for the mission? Yes, it was, Jaemin snaps at himself. 

Today, the Siren seemed to be in a quieter mood. It wasn’t necessarily outright joyous and welcoming, but by no means was it unwelcoming either and anger-ridden. Today just felt, as simply as it can be put, more passive. They still talked of course, and it was not awkward in the slightest. They were past that point. However, they could both feel the storm front coming in, and the chilly air was quite nice. 

If not for the fact that Na Jaemin felt a little too cold for his own comfort. He could handle it of course, but it didn’t mean he  _ wanted _ to. The wind crept up through his arm hairs and raised little cold goosebumps on his skin. It picked at the back of his neck, and sent a small shiver down his spine. 

“It’s cold,” He had said to Renjun, out of the blue with no actual plan to do anything about it. 

He hadn’t actually expected the Siren to help him build a fire. He didn’t really know what was happening when Renjun had suddenly gotten himself up off the ground and over to some of the more wooded area that surrounded his cove, and picked up things here and there. Jaemin mostly paid attention when it was dropped down in front of him. Small tinder, and then some more wood, gradually getting larger in size.

Jaemin just looks at it, and then up at the Siren who looked off to the side. 

Jaemin looks at the wood again, “What’s this?”

Renjun’s cheek heat up, as his hair turned peach for a couple seconds, “What do you think? Tinder and wood. Make a small fire.”

“A small fire?” Jaemin laughed, “But you don’t get cold.”

“I know,” Renjun affirmed, “But you do.”

Jaemin just goes quiet for a moment. Renjun didn’t actively make eye contact with the taller man but he could tell that the mercenary was staring at him. He could probably had even guessed what the sellsword wanted to say to him. 

Jaemin gave him a side smile, “So you do care.”   
Renjun furrowed his brows, “Don’t flatter yourself. I don’t. I just don’t want you complaining.”

“Oh, because that’s all I’m reduced to,” Jaemin laughs, “Someone who complains, yeah?”

To be honest, Jaemin does not complain much at all. Not nearly as much as Renjun did, but that was besides the point. Jaemin had obviously been sarcastic, for he knows that there was a little bit more nuance to their situation than this. 

That being said, he gets up in front of the stash of wood and digs into his satchel for any flint and stone. When he did, he just followed the general procedure for starting a fire, which he had been doing for a long time now, enough to know at least, until the small twigs at the bottom smoked a bit. The wind picked up a little and added oxygen to the smoke, sparking a little flame. 

The fire ended up being a good decent size, more than enough to keep him warm. They sat around the fire. Jaemin stayed a good distance away, as his front side was being warmed up by the fire. Renjun, on the other hand, had no problem being close to it. In fact, occasionally, he would stick a hand in and play with the flames as if they were toys. It couldn’t hurt him, so he didn’t care. 

“You know, people…” Jaemin knew exactly what he was doing asking this, and he knew that if he gets rejected, then he loses nothing, “...cuddle near a fire, often.”

He wasn’t telling the truth completely, but he wasn’t particularly lying either. People  _ do _ that, but it wasn’t something that you  _ had  _ to do. It wasn’t even a tradition. 

That being said, maybe he just wanted to feel Renjun in his arms again, if not for any other reason than to feel his small body within his own. 

“...cuddle?” Renjun asked, unfamiliar with the term. The Siren looks over at Jaemin. 

Jaemin doesn’t exactly know how to explain this, but he tries his best regardless, “Cuddling is when…” How the fuck does he explain this. He takes a pause to think about it. 

After a moment, Renjun piped up, “So?” 

Na Jaemin just shrugged and scooted closer to the immortal, “It’s better to just... _ show _ you.”

Renjun softly spoke back to him, as Jaemin suddenly got  _ very  _ close, “What are you doing, Jaemin.”

But Jaemin doesn’t say much. Instead, he moved until he was close enough to sit directly behind the smaller, who turned his neck slightly to look back at Jaemin. And Na Jaemin swore that if he didn’t have a mission he was on, he would have been gone in those gorgeous eyes already.  _ Fuck _ . Renjun’s beauty was something he couldn’t deny. It just didn’t help that the Siren also was...nice...to talk to. 

Renjun wasn’t moving away, so Jaemin took the initiative to lean over to press his front up Renjun’s slender back, and guide them back to lean against the boulder not too far away from the fire, a hand slipping down to Renjun’s small waist. Renjun’s eyes still on his own the entire time this was happening. 

When they laid back, that was when Renjun blinked and looked at their position, having one hand cautiously on Jaemin’s rib. 

“This is cuddling,” Jaemin explains, voice not too heavy. 

Renjun pursed his lips, hair color turning Mauve, and looks at their position for a couple moments longer, “Why does this seem a little intimate.”

Jaemin looks down at the unreal being that he has laying in his embrace right now and simply states, “Because it is.”

At this, Renjun furrows his brow and pushes himself off, although it looked like he almost thought on it  _ too _ long, “Well then, you can stop now.”

Jaemin closes his eyes and leans his head back against the rock, “I’m not going to make you do anything you don’t want to.”

_ Except fall in love _ . But right now, that wasn’t what Jaemin was thinking about. What he was thinking about was how nice it had felt just now. How Renjun fit in him like he had always meant to be there. Was that also part of the seduction of a Siren? Feeling perfect like this? He wasn’t going to make Renjun do something he didn’t want to, physically at least, but  _ fuck _ , did  _ he  _ himself want to at this moment. 

Renjun seemingly did not feel the same, for he stayed back. Near the fire, not minding that his feet were resting in it. Jaemin wonders what goes on in that mind of his. Did the Siren feel as comfortable as he did in the moment? 

“Do you do that with people often?” Renjun finally asks after some time. His tone was neutral, with a hint of inquisition. There was seemingly no underlying meaning, for he just simply asked straight up.

To which Na Jaemin could easily tell him the truth, “No.”

Renjun seemed somewhat surprised at this answer, “Why not.”

“Because,” Jaemin kept his eyes closed and head leaned back as he answered honestly, “I don’t want people to get the wrong idea.”

At this, the Siren purses his lips and looks over to the sellsword, “And you want  _ me _ to get the wrong idea, then?”

Jaemin paused.  _ Yes _ . Should be his answer. An answer he could not explicitly state. So instead, he pretended to put a little bit of sarcasm in and leave it up to Renjun to interpret, “Sure. Just say that then.”

Maybe he was gaslighting the Siren. Maybe he was just as horrible of a person as everyone said he was. But he was too deep. He shouldn’t stop. 

He just wished he didn’t feel so wrong in his gut when doing so. He wished that when he had opened his eyes again, Renjun’s hair wasn’t a murky gray. He might not have known exactly what it meant, but it had never shown up during the best of moments, only adding to the hypothesis that it wasn’t a particularly good emotion. 

He looked upon the pretty tresses of hair, and Renjun could feel the sellsword’s eyes on him, even from a short distance. 

“Close your eyes back up,” Renjun requested of him, voice small. 

“What for?”

Renjun chewed on his inner cheek. Jaemin could tell from the little cavity created from the action. The Siren then just said, “I’d rather you not look at me right now.”

It was a simple statement, but Jaemin understood. If the mercenary could understand nothing else, then he could understand this at the very least. To have his emotions always worn on his physical appearance must be a vulnerability that Renjun didn’t want to have. Jaemin would give him this peace of mind, if nothing else. It was more of a symbolic gesture than a practical one, for even when he did close his eyes again to rest, Jaemin still remembered the last color on Renjun’s hair. That murky gray. 

  
  


Na Jaemin doesn’t know why it’s easy to be more soft with Renjun. Of course, they will never be completely civil. Hell, it was hard to be fifty percent civil much of the time. But that was fifty percent more than he had ever given anyone else. 

Maybe it was easy because of the way the Siren smiled, the way he talked, how it always felt like Renjun was cautious around him but trying hard not to fully give in to feeling a positive emotion when its associated with Jaemin. The mercenary knows why. How could the creature ever trust anything he says. And yet despite knowing why, it still feels just a tad bit upsetting. No matter how much time they spend together, there is some emotional distance. He didn’t blame him. He felt like he was tricking not just Renjun, but at times, himself. 

It was too easy to laugh when Renjun was around. Countless years stuck in one place had really sharpened his sense of humor and what it took to entertain himself. It was too easy to get lost in the time, unaware of how many seconds have ticked passed until it was nighttime and the water begins to glow. 

Sometimes they swim. Sometimes they swim closely, possibly pretending that they couldn't hear each other over the water’s trickle. And sometimes, Jaemin spots the Siren raking his eyes over his body for a little too long when he undresses. Jaemin knew he looked good, but he also didn’t know why it stuck out to Renjun so much, especially when Renjun was so much more beautiful by nature. Beautiful, in the every crevice of his curves. Beautiful, in the smoothness of his skin. Beautiful, in the creases near his lips when he smiles. That was, much to Jaemin’s own dismay, his favorite part. 

They don’t have to do much. They could be sitting on a low hanging, but thick tree branch that sits a couple feet above the water, stupidly exchanging stories about their worst experiences, and it was preferred over Jaemin’s bar escapades. 

He doesn’t know when, but somewhere along the way, he was going less and less to the pub. Occasionally, a drinking buddy or some courtisan would ask him where he’s been, and the simplest answer he could conjure up was “work.” He chalks his dwindling whiskey habits down to never having time. H

ow could he, when he was spending so much time at the Cove within the Dark Woods? But even then, when he gets home, even if he wasn’t too tired, Jaemin doesn’t turn to whiskey as much as he used to. It was strange. It definitely had to have been the fact that he had something to occupy his time with. 

The sunset could sometimes scatter an intense ray of shimmering light over the water’s surface, making it look like a bed of hot ember coals. And when they sit upon that low hanging tree branch like this, it feels like a paradise within itself. Sometimes, to maintain stability, he places a hand gently on Renjun’s lower back, and if some pixies were hanging nearby, Jaemin could hear the faint sound of tiny giggling. 

At that, Renjun’s hair would turn a pretty peach. Jaemin could tell the smaller hated growing so soft towards him too. He could tell that Renjun resented the part of his existence that made everything so obvious. Jaemin only saw neutral brown a couple times a day, and only for a couple fleeting seconds. He liked it. 

He liked pink a lot when Renjun had told him how pretty the sun rising looked over the cove was, and the next morning, early dawn, Jaemin had showed up to watch it with him. That morning, sitting there watching the light rise above the tree canopy, was beautiful, and it was beautiful because Renjun’s hair turned a light pink. 

It was a rarer color, and more mysterious one since Jaemin can’t exactly pinpoint the emotion, but he knew that he liked it. He tries not to think about it too much as they sat there, brushing shoulders, but that was all he could find himself thinking about. 

  
  
  


Na Jaemin doesn’t know what’s wrong with him. And neither does anyone else in Dasne, after they asked him to join the Golden Glory Festivities, a large event that happens once a year to celebrate Gold, the material that had made Dasne rich beyond imagination in the first place. 

It was huge. Large golden fireworks would light up the sky in amazing arrays. Everyone would dress in their golden gowns, and fly golden banners and ribbons along the streets. It was busy and bustling, and there were always extravagant parties at estates and the palace that Jaemin was always invited to. And every year, he goes, prepared to drink the nice liquor, dance with fine people, and enjoy the festivities. 

And yet, this year, before he knew it, he had declined all offers the morning of. It came as a bit of a shock to people. Jaemin wasn’t going to be there? Some women even found it useless to attend now. And the sellsword doesn’t know what compelled him to miss out, but he has an inkling in his gut that he doesn’t want to face just yet. 

He had told Renjun that he would be missing today because of the festival, and yet, here he was, declining the invitations to parties and galas.

When the evening comes, Jaemin spends much of the day in his estate, contemplating whether or not he  _ should _ show up. He was even dressed up, convinced that he should at least try to go. It would be odd for him not too, considering that he had never missed a year and had a reputation for being sort of a partier. 

And yet, something just didn’t feel right about attending. He wonders what the fireworks looked like from the Cove.  _ No, fuck _ , Why was he wondering this, he thought to himself. Why was he curious about this. He should be going out and celebrating with the rest of the Kingdom. He should be thinking about that instead. And yet, he here was. Thinking of a target that he intends to kill. And how nice it would be to watch the golden fireworks with him. 

  
  


Somewhere along the evening, Na Jaemin goes  _ fuck _ it. And he goes somewhere he  _ shouldn’t _ . At least, not on a holiday like this. He goes.

Not to the decorated streets of Dasne, or up to the palace to dine with the courtesans. But into the Dark Woods, trekking his way through until he reaches a familiar cove with a Siren that felt, at this point, more familiar to him than any of the palace court members. Renjun felt more comfortable than any of the palace ladies or nobles.

When he arrived, still dressed in his golden satin blouse tucked into black trousers, Renjun looked surprised as he turned around to face the sellsword coming towards him, “Jaemin?”

They could hear loud music coming from Dasne all the way from deep within the Dark Woods. That was how large the Golden Glory Festival was.

The Siren continued, as he got up from his sitting position, “I thought you were joining the festivities today.”

Jaemin just responded as he walked forward, “I thought I was too.”

“So why are you here...” Renjun said, “And not there,” He pointed in the direction of Dasne. 

Na Jaemin bit his lip and looked over to the side. Yeah. Why was he here. Once more, no one had ever told him that he needed to come at this frequency, and yet, he did so anyways. They stand a couple feet in front of each other now, not taking a step forward. 

The sellsword answers, “I…” He paused, and thought of it, “...don’t know.”

It was partially the truth. And for some reason, that reason being he didn’t know was more indicative than if he were to have made something up on the spot. He truly did not know exactly what made him give up the festivities, and instead, spend this night with the Siren he was supposed to kill. 

Renjun didn’t say anything. He just looked at Jaemin with a curious expression. 

Jaemin clears his throat, “You don’t mind, do you?”

It took a moment for Renjun to answer, but eventually he does, nodding while his eyes glance over to the side, “I don’t mind.”

And then a pause from the Siren, before he continues hesitantly, “It’s just that...I’ve never had anyone spend the holidays with me before.”

At this, Jaemin smiles to himself, hiding it from the beautiful creature as he takes a slow step forward, “I know.”

In response, Renjun stepped backwards and held himself a little bit, “Is that why you’re here then? Because you feel bad for m-”

“I’m here because I want to be,” Jaemin tells him outright, interrupting. Ah, was that it? Was that the reason why he was here tonight? But why? Why does he want to be here.

Renjun shakes his head, “Don’t think you can fool me, sellsword.”

“For god’s sake, I’m not fooling you, Renjun,” Jaemin tries to convince him. 

“I’m not falling for your tri-”

“Will you just shut up and,” Jaemin puts his foot down, not wanting to drag this bickering on, not tonight, “and just watch the fireworks with me? Just spend the night with me. I won’t leave until the morning, if you don’t make me.” 

Renjun was quiet in response. He stood there, a couple feet away still, holding his arms together as he looked at the man. His hair. He could feel it transitioning colors, and he wanted to hide. He wanted to run away, not letting Jaemin see it. But he knew that was not possible. Na Jaemin saw everything, and at this point knew. His hair, it was turning lavender. He bit his lip and looked away, cursing himself. 

Jaemin didn’t miss out on the opportunity, “So you  _ do  _ want to.”

_ “Fuck _ ,” The Siren whispered under his breath and closed his eyes. He did not respond to Jaemin’s true accusation for a couple moments, contemplating his choices. It was fine. Jaemin was patient. He knew what Renjun would say. 

Renjun spoke, “You should at least leave before morning. You’ll get tired.”

That was all that Renjun had to say. It was a confirmation of his approval, and it was all Jaemin needed to hear. 

The man grinned, “We’ll see about that.”

Jaemin stepped forward, closing the gap between them, and reached into his pocket, digging around. He looked up as he dug around, wondering when the firework show would start, as the sky was dark now, and then pulled out a gold painted rose. It was fake, meant to be used in flower crowns and decorations around Dasne for the festivities. However, Jaemin had picked one up on his way here. 

He presented the rose dramatically to the Siren, “A golden rose. It’ll never die.”

“Like me,” Renjun smiled as he took the rose from Jaemin’s fingers and tucked it behind his ear. It was beautiful, and Jaemin almost wished he had put it there himself. 

_ Not exactly _ , Jaemin thought to himself. But he just offers a half smile in return. And tells Renjun exactly what was on his mind, “You look beautiful.”

Immediately, Renjun’s hair turns a light peach and he snaps back, “I know.”

“Very humble,” Jaemin sarcastically mentions.

Renjun just rolls his eyes, “It’s literally in my job description to be attractive, Jaemin.”

“Is it also in your job description to be a rude brat?” Jaemin laughs, playfully.

“Is it in  _ yours _ ?” Renjun gets back at him.

And to that, Jaemin couldn’t even disagree, and so he just shakes his head with a chuckle and settles himself down with his back against a large rock that they often sat near. There wasn’t much variety here, in the cove. Of course, it was stunning. A perfect place to be at times. But Jaemin does see how anyone could wish there was more options. Just  _ having _ the option was nice. He wonders why Renjun hadn’t gone insane yet from a lack of it. 

Renjun takes a seat next to him, not too close, and looks at the sky, waiting. 

As they wait, Renjun speaks up, “I just don’t understand.”

Jaemin looks over, “What don’t you understand.”

The Siren looks hesitant to say, “I just...don’t get why you would give up all of the nice music and parties and people tonight to be here with me, a Siren that you’re just supposed to kill,” And he trailed off before picking up again, “No one is that dedicated to their job…”

Jaemin looks away then. He knows that. He knows that no one is  _ this _ dedicated to their job, so much that it makes him question himself as to how much of what he is doing  _ is _ strictly for his job and how much of it was just for...himself. He could see the statement was a bit hard on Renjun to make, for the creature’s hair had turned a pale orange as he was revealing himself. 

Jaemin knows. Once more, he knows no one is  _ this _ dedicated to their job, “Just tonight, believe me when i say not all of it is for my job.”

Renjun looked down at his knees and laughed, “...believe you. Funny.” 

And then, the Siren runs a slender hand through his pretty hair and looks over at Jaemin, eyes closed off from revealing his thoughts, “Jaemin, neither of us are stupid.”

Before Jaemin could utter a questioning sound, Renjun continued, “We both know from...this,” He points to his hair, “That I don’t hate you as much as I used to. But I also need you to know this.”

Jaemin just listens.

And Renjun tells him, “At the end of the day, I don’t ever forget for a second the reality. So I don’t want you to  _ ever _ get the wrong idea, okay? It’s not going to happen,” Renjun waved one hand in the air, “Whatever you want to happen, it’s not going to happen.”

Jaemin didn’t say anything for a couple beats of silence. The only sounds were of the natural Dark Woods and the trickling of the glowing waters. And then he nods to himself before saying aloud, “You give me this speech every week, Renjun.”

Renjun pursed his lips, “I just...need to make sure you don’t forget.”

“I don’t forget, Renjun,” Jaemin then turns his head to look directly at the Siren, “But the fact that you still feel the need to remind me constantly makes me think that you’re trying to convince yourself more than you are trying to convince me.”

It was a bold accusation to make, and it was one that he knew could potentially make Renjun quite angry, but he had a natural proclivity for brute honesty. 

Funny enough, Renjun didn’t get upset, but instead bit his lower lip, “Don’t be so foolish.”

Jaemin nods and makes a challenging face, “If nothing’s going to happen, then don’t be so afraid to get close to me. I can tell you hold back.” 

Renjun knows that it was a trick, and yet, he can’t stand to allow Jaemin to believe he would gain the upper hand in the end, “Sure. fine.”

At the exasperated answer, Jaemin releases a breath and just relaxes himself against the rock. His left hand reaches out to brush some of Renjun’s gorgeous tresses out of the way so that he could see the smaller’s eyes, and then he speaks in a softer voice, “The fireworks will start soon, Renjun. Let’s be happy when it happens, yeah? Don’t think about any of this shit, just enjoy it with me?”

Renjun looks at him, eyes like that of a doe. Glistening from the water’s glowing reflection, even from the distance away, and it looked to have held the secrets of a million generations. Jaemin could get lost in them forever, and he knows he doesn’t  _ like _ the Siren like that, but it doesn’t explain why his hand goes up to palm the Sabertooth charm as if he needed to remind himself that the necklace was still there, and that the strange emotions weren’t because of the Siren’s magic. Of course, it was still there, but that realization makes everything a little bit more complicated. If it wasn’t the magic, then why the  _ hell _ was he feeling this. 

He brushed the thought back, and just waits for the beauty to speak. Renjun continues to look at him for a while, sitting only a foot away, so close, he could smell the floral scent off of Renjun’s skin. Intoxicating, that was what it was. 

The Siren then opens his mouth to speak, “Let’s...do that thing again, then.”

Na Jaemin was slightly confused, “What thing?”

Renjun licks his lips. Jaemin’s eyes followed the movement, and then the smaller continued, “Cuddle. That’s what you called it, right?” 

Jaemin’s jaw felt loose, as it dropped in his mouth. Except his lips did not open, so that it wouldn’t reveal just how shocked he was at the request. And yet it was hard to hide it, for he was sure it was in his eyes. 

“You want to...” Jaemin asked. 

Renjun nods, “You told me not to be afraid to get close, right?” And then, he offered slowly, “ Hold me then, and we can watch the fireworks together. We don’t have to think much about it.”

He didn’t need to be told twice, and yet, he had to go over that request again in his head twice before he sits up, leaning off of the boulder. And reaching out, in one fell swoop, his arms go around Renjun’s small waist and he pulls the Siren close, until Renjun’s front body hits Jaemin’s own front with a silent thud, and Renjun’s hand rested on Jaemin’s chest for stability. The quick movement forced them to look at each other a little too closely, and goddamnit, Renjun’s skin was perfect. Everything was. His eyes. His nose. His chin. 

And then, Renjun relaxed his body and, for the first time, allowed himself to melt into Jaemin’s embrace. They had never embraced like this before. In fact, if he thought about it, they had  _ never _ fully embraced without some resistance before. And yet, this felt nice. Almost too nice. Jaemin’s arms were encompassing, and it felt like Renjun could have roamed the world for miles, and still be in the comforting embrace of Na Jaemin. 

And Jaemin himself didn’t fare better. It felt nice. To have Renjun’s head rested on his chest like this, body snuggled up to his. It didn’t even matter that they were on a pebbled ground, in the middle of the Dark Woods in some cove. Nothing felt better. Nothing felt like this. 

The fireworks started not too long afterwards. They heard it first before they saw it. The lower ones were released first, and those could only be seen from within Dasne. But soon enough, the high ones that reached up far into the sky began to pop off, in unique arrays of golden designs. Those could be seen from here, within the Cove. They were beautiful, as anyone could have guessed. Geometric designs poured over the sky, in bright gold. The sparks would then dissipate only for an even larger firework to take its place. 

Who would have guessed that Jaemin would spend his holiday with an immortal instead, holding said creature in his arms as he does so and feeling happier than he ever had down in Dasne dancing with the courtesans. It was wrong. And yet, it wasn’t. In fact, it didn’t even make sense. What also didn’t make sense was why he had this twisting feeling in his chest when he sees that Renjun’s hair turns a pale pink. And  _ stays _ a pale pink. He had asked before, receiving no answer. What if he asked again, he thought. Would Renjun tell him now? Or would it ruin the mood. 

He didn’t want to risk it. The last thing he’d ever want would be to make that pretty pink go away. It was stunning. So much that his attention was split between the fireworks, and something as equally beautiful: Renjun. 

It was just that, he was sure. His beauty. That was all it was. That’s something easy to admit, right? Right. 

Jaemin kept his promise. It wasn’t exactly a promise, per se, but it felt like one. He stayed until morning, and despite what Renjun said, he wasn’t as tired as he could have been. There was something about spending time with Renjun that made his muscles ease and mentality relax. Seconds ticked into minutes, and minutes ticked into hours, until the only remnant he had of time was the color of the sky. Even after the fireworks fizzled out, and everyone in Dasne was either packing up for the night or out partying, Jaemin tried to milk every last second he had with Renjun cuddled up to him like this. Maybe the pixies were watching. Maybe they weren’t. He didn’t care, at least not right now. Renjun didn’t seem too keen on moving away, if that counted for something. It was comfortable, where they were. It was a bit chilly as the night progressed, but nothing that Renjun’s body heat couldn’t have fixed. 

And when the morning did come, Jaemin almost wished it didn’t. 

  
  


The next few days had a cloudy overcast, and yet no rain. Jaemin spends it in a place that had grown way too comfortable to him. The cove. 

However, he brings along with him a throw blanket when he arrives now, since it got a little cold for one. And for two, the biggest reason, he wants a reason to get under it with Renjun. It was just cuddling, nothing more, and yet, he liked it a little too much. Renjun was a  _ tad _ bit more open to it now. Still hesitant, and he claims the only reason he agrees is because Jaemin won’t stop nagging otherwise. But something told Jaemin, that wasn’t the case, was it. It was just wrapped around their shoulders, and yet, it was nice. 

Every hour, Jaemin swore it was about to rain. And yet it doesn’t. This goes on for days, with just a cloudy overcast. He doesn’t mind, for he never minded dark weather in the first place. 

When it  _ did _ end up raining, it had been a couple mornings later. It wasn’t just rain though. It felt like an entire downpour, with buckets upon buckets coming down from the heavens. He had woken up to some thunder early in the morning, before the sun came up, and just judging from the sound outside, the rain would probably go on all throughout the day. Inside of his large and comfortable estate, he was safe from the pour. 

And he knows that nothing could hurt Renjun, but he still wonders. 

Where does the Siren go when it rains. Does he still sit there? Waiting for some traveller to come? He would have continued to wonder, but he had woken up so suddenly in the morning from the thunder, that he was exhausted and went back to sleep, only to wake up around 11 A.M. It was nearing the afternoon, and the rain did not show signs of letting up. In fact, it showed consistency for hours. 

The sound was loud against his roof, but he was thinking more about his plans for the afternoon and evening. It was raining like a motherfucker, so why was he even considering going to the Cove? Why was that even a consideration he had? If he was being logical in the moment, then he would have skipped today and saved that trip for another day. 

And yet, here he was, pacing and thinking about it. Jaemin knows damn well that he could pace around for as long as he wants and pretend to ponder, but he knows for a fact what his answer would be. If it was a no, then he would have never had a doubt in the first place. It was the fact that he  _ wanted _ to go to Renjun, even in this weather, that seemed concerning to him. 

When the late afternoon comes, Jaemin got sick of pacing around. And yet, instead of resting and laying in bed like most people do on rainy days, cuddled up in bed or on a couch reading some manuscript, Jaemin changes into clothes he wasn’t afraid to get soaked and puts on leather boots. He wasn’t afraid of a little rain. Lightning? Maybe a little bit. But what were the chances. His mind was compromised. 

And so he found himself going through the Dark woods. Every moment, he asked himself if he wanted to go back. It wasn’t too late. It’s not too late to go back, he said to himself, as he passed through the complex crevices it takes to get to the cove. It’s not too late, he said to himself, as he found himself soaked and dripping from head to toe on his path there. 

And fuck, it  _ was _ too late, when he realized he was now standing in front of the giant leaves that opened up to the Cove. He wonders if one day, he would lift them up, and not see the Siren. But as he does so, he sees Renjun. 

Renjun didn’t seem affected at all by the rain, even as it drips down his entire body. The smaller plays with the puddle near him as he squats near the water’s edge. He couldn’t hear Jaemin’s approach through the rain, he was sure. But when Jaemin called out, the voice was unmistakable. 

“A little wet out here, don’t you think?” Jaemin asks out loud, through the rain pour. Now that he was out of the canopy of trees and into the cove, the rain was a lot louder. And yet, he could still hear his voice carry. 

At the voice, Renjun’s head turned, and like many times before, he looks surprised to see Jaemin here. More and more times than not, Renjun had been expecting the man not to show up, and yet he does. To no avail. 

“Na Jaemin,” Renjun exclaimed, “What the fuck are you doing out here?”

Jaemin laughed, “ Are you not happy to see me?”   
“No,” Renjun yelled over the rain, as he walked his way over. His hair changes color, to one that Jaemin hadn’t seen in a bit. Sienna. The same color as that one night they swam. Renjun continues, “You’re going to get sick, you idiot.”

“From a little rain?” Jaemin shakes his head as water drips from his locks, “I don’t think so.”

“This is not a  _ little _ rain, Jaemin,” Renjun furrowed his brows and pushes Jaemin backwards, “Go home.”

Jaemin grins stupidly, running his hand through his own wet hair, “You’re worried for me.”

“I’m not,” Renjun bites, “I’m thinking about how much I want to kill you right now. Take that stupid necklace off.”

“Kill me?” Jaemin asks, stepping closer, “What is it for now?”

The Siren shakes his head, “For being an idiot. What the  _ fuck _ are you doing here? It’s been pouring all day, and you still show up.”

“Great observation,” Jaemin chuckles sarcastically, “Anything else obvious?”

“Stop joking around,” Renjun tells him, “This is ridiculous. What are you doing here?”

Renjun continues, just looking frustrated, “What kind of person does this for their  _ job _ ” Renjun poses the question over again that he had posed many times before. He just didn’t get it. 

“Renjun, li-” 

“Is this part of your  _ plan _ to make me fall in love with you?” Renjun exclaimed, “By being ridiculous? And making me believe you really genuinely want to see me?”   
“It’s not a pla-”

“But isn’t it?” Renjun snaps, “Because you sure as well haven’t dropped that quest, so what else could it fucking be.”   
“I  _ just _ want to see you,” Jaemin furrows his brows. 

“You just want to  _ see me _ ? Is this another one of your manipulative tricks too?” Renjun backed off. 

“No,” Jaemin put his foot down, “It’s not.”

“And how could I ever believe that?” Renjun barked. 

“You can’t,” Jaemin finally exclaims. 

Renjun is quiet, and lets the storm speak for itself.

“You have no way of believing me,” Jaemin terse speaks over the rain. 

“And yet,” Renjun said, voice wavering but he convinces himself that the heavy pour would cover up the sound. It didn’t, “...you expect me to, anyways.”

The Siren’s hair stayed a deep Sienna as he looked at Jaemin with a pair of eyes that the man in question could not tear away from. It was loud here in the cove, sound only amplifying with the droplets hitting the water’s surface of the lagoon. The truth was he didn’t. Jaemin didn’t expect Renjun to believe him. How could he, after all, when he had made his motives so clear before. It wasn’t his fault that this situation just got messy so quickly. It wasn’t his fault that this quest was not as simple as he originally thought it would be. He did not expect Renjun to believe him. He just blindly wanted him to. 

Before Jaemin could open his mouth to reply, Renjun continues, “I don’t know why I still almost believe you anyways.”

Maybe this was the spark of hope that Jaemin didn’t know he was waiting to hear, but he tells the Siren, “Because I care.”

Did he? Was this a ruse too? Jaemin was barely sure which of his words were genuine anymore, and which were part of the plan. He was playing himself, not just Renjun with this twisted game of cat and mouse. He wished emotions were this simple, but they almost never were. 

“You’re a liar,” Renjun tells him, and then in a frustrated and bleak tone, the Siren strikes again, “You’re a liar. And all you do is lie.”

Jaemin stays silent, and just listened as the boy speaks. 

“Everything you’ve done up to this point has been a lie, hasn’t it. You’re such a…,” Renjun’s chest heaved and he just had his eyebrows furrowed together. He could barely even finish his words. 

“What part do you think is a lie?” The sellsword asked then. Maybe he was trying to deceive the other with this question. Or maybe, he was hoping to find an answer himself. 

The Siren kept a calm composure, but Jaemin could tell his thoughts were plagued, especially as he confessed, “Everything.”

“Yeah?” Jaemin doesn’t believe it. And so he challenged, “ Did it feel like a lie?”

It didn’t. The acts of kindness, the acts of  _ friendship _ , it felt so genuine that at times, nothing felt like a lie, “No, but…” Renjun continued. Maybe Na Jaemin was trained for this. Maybe all the subtle gestures were planned, “Maybe that's just how you are.”

At this, the mercenary laughs out loud in the hissing downpour. The thunder clouds covered the skies in its immense dark haze, casting down a dark atmosphere where they stand. Although it was not yet evening, it looked like it from just how heavy the weather was. 

Jaemin laughs ironically and steps a little closer to the Siren. He was playing with a dark, powerful force, he knew this, but the sabertooth charm gave him confidence. He held onto this fact, for at the current moment, he was sure Renjun would rip him to pieces given the chance merely out of frustration if nothing else. 

And yet, he continued to speak, “So suddenly, I’m such a good liar to the point where I convince even myself?”

Renjun shakes his head. He was not going to deal with this conversation, not tonight. It just felt like when they argue, they were having the same arguments over and over again, and he knew it was because the  _ problem _ that was essential to their little friendship was still there. And still looming. How could they  _ not _ have the same argument repeatedly when the same issue was still there, still rampant in their minds, hindering him from truly enjoying a kind gesture without believing there is double meaning behind it. 

“Your words are so sweet, to mask intentions so sinister, mortal,” Renjun tells him. It’s been a while since Renjun referred to Jaemin unironically as  _ mortal _ , and it was done in a way as if to show Jaemin in his place. To remind him once more of the fact that they were  _ two _ different entities. One was all powerful, and defied death. The other could be cut with a splinter in his thumb, and could die from a bad head cold. And yet, Jaemin saw through this, this time at least.

It was almost like the smaller’s defense mechanism as his walls were being breached brick by brick. 

Jaemin could not say anything to that.  _ To mask intentions so sinister _ . His sinister intentions were true. There was no denying that. But he could not attest to  _ masking _ it with his words. No, if nothing else, then his words were real. At least, most of the time. 

He didn’t confide in Renjun about his concerns over his job for nothing, about his hopes and dreams, about his demented reality. He didn’t lie about those, just as he didn’t lie in their everyday conversations when he tells Renjun he hates crickets, or that his favorite town was Positano. He didn’t lie when he came down here during the Golden Festival solely for the purpose of being around the smaller. 

And he wasn’t lying now when coming here in the storm, just to spend another couple minutes with the creature that he was struggling not to sympathize with or befriend. 

“Right.” Renjun scoffed at the silence that was his answer. He sighed, and although Jaemin could not hear it through the downpour, he could see the body language was defeated, “Go home, Na.”

He was silent for a couple moments longer, but ultimately asked, “Why? I want to be here. I want to see you.”

At this, Renjun tried his best not to snap as he looked up to the handsome man, “Have it ever crossed your mind that maybe I don’t feel the same?”

“Really?” Jaemin stood his ground against the creature, not afraid to express his thoughts, “Is that why your hair always turns lavender when i come these days? Is that why you sit really close, hoping that I’d ask you to get in my arms again like that one night? Is that why you always look a little disappointed when it looks like I might not show up? Or…” Jaemin steps even closer as he leans down slightly to be more in tune with the Siren, “...why your hair turns Mauve when you’re turned on? When you want me?”

_ Fuck _ . That entire spiel was a big  _ fuck you _ indirectly. It called out so many of the Siren’s behavior that he was left speechless. And a little upset. This only added to the list of reasons why he hated his hair. It allowed him to be read like a book, just like now. He could deny all of Na Jaemin’s claims. But he wasn’t sure the man would believe him. He wasn’t sure if he  _ himself _ would believe him.

Renjun bit down so hard on his tongue that it drew blood. 

Jaemin noticed this, by the way his body language worked. And the way, Renjun’s hand come up to hold his mouth. It didn’t hurt. But was not the most comfortable sensation, especially when he didn’t know his own strength. 

Na Jaemin reaches out and holds Renjun’s jaw gently, tilting his head up slightly. The Siren’s skin was slick wet from the continuous rain. Jaemin used his thumb to encourage Renjun’s mouth to open, and the Siren knew what he was doing. To prove his point, Renjun complied and opened his mouth at the intruding hand. 

Jaemin looked in it, where he had bitten his tongue harshly. Golden ichor. He was still bleeding ichor, the blood of the immortal. And Jaemin could tell from Renjun’s facial expression as he lets go of the smaller’s jaw that Renjun felt smug about it. As if he was proving himself. And yet, Jaemin knew. The Siren wasn’t as sure about all of this as he once was. 

“Leave,” Renjun’s voice softens. He didn’t want to answer to all of what all Jaemin said, “You’ll get sick.”

“I don't mind,” Na Jaemin tells him. His blouse was soaked to his skin, outlining the masculine and toned figure. He didn’t care. 

And Renjun looked away in response, “I do.”

Jaemin looked at him then, kindly, even when Renjun wasn’t looking back at him. 

“So you do care for me,” Jaemin says then, voice somewhat audible above the weather, “Why does that please me.”

“Because to you, it means you're one step closer in your little challenge,” Renjun says out of spite. He could tell there were bitter seeds in his tone, resentment in his voice. 

“No, it's because I know that to some degree…” Jaemin tells him, words careful, “...my care is reciprocated.”

Renjun rubs his temple now, only as a gesture because Jaemin knew damn well the Siren couldn’t feel pain or headaches, “I don’t want to start this up again.”

“Then don’t,” Jaemin frustrated tells him, “Just let me st-”

“Jaemin, I’m going to need you to leave,” Renjun looks at him blankly, and his hair turns a dark red. He was being serious now. The Siren continued, “I can’t physically make you. But I’m asking this of you now. Leave.” 

The sellsword looked at him. Jaemin could tell Renjun was angry. And an angry Renjun would not help him in this mission at all. But it would also not help his consciousness. He didn’t lie the Siren with dark red hair, as stunning as it still was. It felt like ground zero with them again. Jaemin had trekked all the way here, with the intention of spending some time with the smaller, not expecting this adverse reaction. But now that he was here, he could understand why. Maybe he  _ was _ being too ridiculous. Spending so much time here. Coming down here even when the weather jeopardized his health like this. To him, it felt like he was showing Renjun he liked the time they spend together, but he now knows bitterly that it could also be interpreted as manipulative and double-sided. 

And so he agrees, this time, “I’ll leave.”

And that’s all he says. 

  
  


But Na Jaemin, if nothing else, doesn’t quit. That night, as he lays in his plush silk sheets, he’s thankful that he doesn’t feel sick from the rain. But instead, he feels a headache, simply from dealing with the smaller. It seems that no matter what a being was--human or not human--we all suffer through the same emotions. Caution, distrust, anger, kindness, care. It added a layer of nuance to Renjun, although this entire hit job would be so much easier if the Siren was more one-dimensional. If the Siren was not as complex, not as smart, curious, beautiful, funny. It would have been so much easier. 

He doesn’t blame Renjun for being cautious. Not in the slightest. But it frustrates him. It does, greatly. 

He comes again the next day. Looking like a fool who hadn’t learned his lesson. Maybe it was because he knew. He knew that despite their squabbles, at the end of the day, he had a strong gut feeling that Renjun didn’t just  _ want _ him to leave. It was intuition. And yet he was confident in it. Their conversation may be awkward today, but it was better than not clearing the air, even if it was a temporary band-aid to a bigger wound. 

His trek through the Dark Woods was particularly eerier today. The ground beneath him was almost swamped in mud, or even a small layer of water at times. The storm yesterday was massive, and swamped the entire place. Although he recognized some landmarks on his path to the Cove, he didn’t recognize others, for they were washed away by the rain. It had been so heavy, that the trees drooped, none of the nymphs that he usually saw as indicators that he was on the right direction came out today. The Dark Woods looked a little dead, and the canopy seemed to be even thicker, making the Dark Woods even  _ darker _ . 

Jaemin didn’t know exactly when he had strayed from the right path, but he only realized it once he had been walking for quite a while and was not arriving where he was supposed to. He usually had little mnemonic signs that would guide him. A bush gnome that always says good morning. A tree nymph that sits at the base every day humming. A boulder with strange writing on it. And things of the sort. However, since most of those were gone for the day, he had a bit of a hard time finding his way to the cove. 

He knew he was in the wrong area once the trees began to look a lot more barren, with gnarled up trunks that were white at the base and grew black like coal as it reached the top, even with black leaves for a final touch. It gave the appearance of a hauntingly burnt forest, and yet, it looked like a whole different world because the sky was a strange dark red color, like the shade of the sky when a person lucid dreams. It wasn’t this color minutes ago, or an hour ago. He wasn’t sure. He had a feeling he was in different territory than before. 

_ The pixies _ . Jaemin suddenly remembered. They could guide him back. Although he feared that he was a bit too far off the path, and yet, he opened his mouth to whistle anyways. 

However, before he could, he hears a strange, scratchy voice speak up somewhere behind him. The voice sounded like nails on a chalkboard or a metal fork scratching on a porcelain plate. 

“Don’t bother calling on anything,” The voice said, “You’re a bit too far. It would take a while for anyone to come.”

Na Jaemin turned around, and brandished his dagger from its sheath. His eyes scan the vicinity until he spots, leaning up menacingly against the trunk of a jet-black tree with gangly branches like looked like fingers, a man. Well, it wasn’t exactly a man, but some sort of  _ creature _ . Jaemin had killed quite many beasts in his time of being alive, but he couldn’t quite recall this one. 

The being had odd features. Like slits for eyes, the color of gold like a reptile, and it contrasted creepily with the red sky. The angles to his face was sharp and scaly. His limbs were long, and he had to have stood to a height of about 6 feet 7 inches or maybe even more; however, his skinny frame made him look menacing, like a demon. The way he stood so casually in the presence of Jaemin’s dagger also made the mercenary quite uncomfortable. He had taken on larger creatures before, and yet, they had always been on the offensive side. They had always been angry and outwardly blood thirsty. Yet, something about this man, and his calm composure, made Jaemin a little bit more uneasy. 

“Where am I?” Jaemin asked him then. 

The creature with the scratchy voice didn’t lean off the tree, but stares at Jaemin without ever blinking once, “Not where you should be.”

That didn’t give him an answer. Jaemin was just irritated, “Then if you’d be so kind, point me in the direction of where I  _ should _ be.”

The man laughed, his voice once more sounding like needles, “Quite bold.”

“I’m not afraid of much, I don’t know if that was what you were expecting,” Jaemin tells him straight. 

“Interesting,” It said, “You look like a hunter.” He said, gesturing to the array of weapons on his waistband. 

“Something like that…” Jaemin answered cautiously. 

“You’ve killed a lot of creatures in your time, I assume?” The creature inquired. The creature’s elongated body was just simply horrifying.   
Once more, the man was so nonchalant that it was intimidating, but Jaemin kept his composure, “Just a couple.”

“Really,” He leaned off the tree trunk, and Jaemin felt a bad feeling in his gut, “Is that why you venture out here now?”

Jaemin decides to just humor the creature, in hopes it might not want to get into a fight, “Yes. I got a little lost though.”

“Ah, of course,” The man didn’t seem to care, “Now, if I may ask, what exactly are you trying to kill?”

Jaemin was starting to have a disdain for that word.  _ Kill _ . It reminded him of the awkward reality, but he stood his ground. Everything was quite ominous around him, from the slender black-wearing creature with the limbs so tall that it was terrifying, to the way the red sky blanketed the black barren trees. 

Jaemin just answered him, hoping that he’d let him leave, “A Siren.”

To this, the man laughed. He cackled, and it seems to echo through the barren land. 

“A  _ Siren _ ?” He howled, “You plan to kill a  _ Siren _ ?” 

“I do,” Jaemin said, cursing that his voice came out as a bit hesitant.

“You  _ do _ know, my boy,” He exclaimed, “That the only way to kill a Siren is to ei-”

“Either make it fall in love with you,” Jaemin finished for him, “Or get it to leave its home for long enough.”

The man grins menacingly, showing his bone teeth, “So you know.”

He continues, “So you must also know that the Siren is the most powerful creature in the Dark Woods. You will not be able to look upon his eyes and survive his magic.”

Jaemin looked to the side. He was not going to reveal the truth about his sabertooth pendant. His body language went a little rigid, which was a mistake on his part. It made him obvious. He should have pretended that he didn’t know.

But it seemed like the man could riddle it out anyways, “So you know that also. And yet, you still venture there.”

He was silent for a little while, observing Na Jaemin’s body language before noticing, “The necklace. Where did you get that.”   
_ Fuck _ . Jaemin cursed to himself and looked at the creature, “My grandmother gave it to me.”

“Did she now?” He chuckled, “It smells of magic. Was your grandmother a sorceress?”

“What are you suggesting?” Jaemin narrowed his eyes.

“Just that it’s a bit more than it meets the eye,” The scratchy voice spoke. It hurt his ears, if he were to be honest. 

“Well, it’s not what you’re thinking of,” Jaemin sneered.

“You lie,” The creature hissed, “I know a charm when i see one.”

“It’s not a protective charm,” Jaemin scolded, and flipped his dagger as a show of his ability to use it with ease.

At this, the being laughed, “I never  _ said _ it was a protective charm.”

_ Fuck _ . That was an amateur mistake.

It hissed, “Interesting. I won’t take it off you, but now I’m quite curious to know. How often do you visit this Siren, with that charm.”

And so the man can guess. He could riddle it out. Jaemin huffed and stepped to the side. 

“Every day,” Jaemin blankly responded. He tapped his foot. 

This answer seemed to humor the creature, for he claps to himself, “This suddenly got very interesting. Tell me, how's your progress with Renjun. I hear he can be quite a fickle beast.”

_ Beast _ . It was a strange way of describing Renjun, and it was stranger to hear the Siren’s name on someone else’s lips. 

“You know Renjun,” Jaemin says it like a statement, but it was more of a question.

The creature nodded slowly, “Of course. Now tell me  _ more _ about your little rel-”

Jaemin was sick of this conversation, “I’m not telling you any more.”

“Fine,” The man looked displeased but decided to take matters into his own hands, “I’ll figure out myself. Seize him.”

Out of nowhere, black shadows seem to come out of the trees, materializing until they were similar looking creatures, except with black wings attached to their backs and titanium hands in replacement of flesh. They had come so suddenly that Na Jaemin hadn’t even had time to prepare before his arms where taken behind his back and the back of his legs were kicked until he was on his knees. 

His dagger dropped to the ground in front of him, and the man reached down to pick it up, admiring the design, “Quite a beautiful dagger you have here.”

Jaemin spits out,“The soul of more than a hundred beasts have died by my blade. You will be the next.”

The man laughed, “The soul of more than a  _ thousand _ wanderers have died by  _ mine _ ,” And this is when he introduces himself, “I  _ am _ the Erlking. King of the Fae,  _ second _ most powerful being in the Dark Woods.” He says this with a bitter and jealous sneer. A scythe materialized from the cloth of the man’s black clothes and hardened into a sharp black obsidian, “It’s beautiful too, isn’t it.”

Jaemin didn’t reply.

“Anyways, I won’t kill you just yet,” The Erlking, which Jaemin now recognized as one of the creatures from Denmark’s ancient lore, stood back up, “There’s something I want to see first. Call on the pixies. Tell them you’re here. Better yet, tell them to tell that  _ Siren _ of yours that you’re here.”

Jaemin laughs bitterly, “And what do you hope to accomplish?”

The Erlking twirls his scythe, “I simply want to see if he comes.”

Na Jaemin chuckles dryly, voice menacing, “You’re wasting your time.” 

“Then I guess I’ll find out,” The Erlking humors and then, figuring that Na Jaemin wouldn’t bother, he tells one of his henchmen, “Go inform the pixies. Try not to eat them.”

And then, The Erlking raises his hands and black chains rose from the very ground they stand and take a hold of Na Jaemin’s feet, clasping around them. Jaemin picks his dagger back up and sheathes it for the time being, knowing that it was essentially useless right now. He could likely die here today, and yet, the thought didn’t scare him too much. Being in this job, he was prepared for death from the beginning. And yet, it felt so adverse. Why, now, did he think of Renjun instead of his own life. 

The Siren wasn’t coming. That he knew for a fact, and yet, he kept thinking about what the beauty would react like. Would he blink an eye? Would he be glad even that Jaemin would be killed within the fortnight? Or would some inkling of the Siren’s being feel a tinge of worry, even if he chooses not to come. And even then, did Jaemin  _ want _ him to come?

He thought about this then shook his head. Of course he wanted Renjun to come. Because then, his job could be over. He could collect his money and leave. He cursed at himself. That wasn’t going to happen regardless. There was no use in trying to imagine fantasies. 

The Erlking sits not too far from him, and observes the sellsword deeply, “You know, I don’t think the Siren will show up either.”

Jaemin frowned. Why did the Erlking bother then. 

The creature continued, “It’d be a shock if he did. Sirens tend to suppress their emotions, in fear of what it could do to them. I’ve never seen a Siren change its hair color beyond anger and neutral. Like I said, fickle creatures, they are.”

Jaemin keeps quiet that he had seen Renjun change his hair color  _ much more beyond  _ those two emotions. 

“Then why do you bother,” Jaemin asked. 

The Erlking was honest about it, “Just in case I’m wrong. I have nothing better to do these days except wait around for wanderers to get lost. But you’re not just a wanderer are you?” He winked, “This is the most interesting thing I’ve experienced in a while.”

Jaemin kept quiet. 

The Erlking tells him then, “Anyways, if the Siren doesn’t come within nightfall, I’ll kill you with your own blade.” He says this casually, and Jaemin couldn’t help but have an uneasy feeling in his stomach. 

For he  _ knows _ . That Renjun was not coming. He could even confidently bet his life on it. 

And for hours, he was proven correct. It was excruciating. Sitting there for what seemed like forever, not bothering to wait for anything other than his own death. The Erlking sat there though, impatiently, even though he had expressed to Jaemin that he did not believe the Siren was coming. In fact, Jaemin had told him at least twice now. His hands were free. It was just his feet that were chained. And yet, he still could not do anything. 

He wonders how the Erlking will kill him. That was always something interesting to think about as he waited, watching the red sky get darker and darker. Jaemin always wanted to die an epic death. Death by the hands of the Erlking, king of the fae, didn’t seem all too bad, he guesses. 

The black trees looked unreal, and against the blood colored sky, he felt like he was in some type of purgatory or hell. A vast land, dreadful to be in, and even more dreadful to die in. It definitely wasn’t how he imagined he’d go out, but how could anyone guess that anyways. 

Just as he was going to humor his own mind with some more death possibilities, he goes insane.

Or at least, Jaemin  _ thinks _ he has gone insane, for there was no way that he was hearing correctly.

His head snapped up, and his heart began drumming faster than it had ever been. His palms began to sweat, and he swears that he must have been making this up. Because there was  _ no _ way. 

“My, my,” An all too  _ familiar _ voice sounded, “Erlking, it seems like you have nothing better to do these days.”

Na Jaemin could not believe his eyes. This must be a mirage. There was no way in hell that Renjun, the Siren, was standing, leaning against the edge of the tree, like this, in front of them. In the middle of  _ who knows where. _ There was no possible way.

But there he was. Jaemin sees him. 

Renjun was wearing black today. He looked beautiful, yet dangerous at the same time. A perfect combination, but a terrifying one. His innocent face defied his lethal abilities. He didn’t understand. Na Jaemin did not fucking understand. 

His hair was Sienna. Jaemin was sensing the pattern. This color always showed up when something happened to Jaemin himself. Or at least, when Renjun  _ thinks _ something could have happened. Sienna. The color of those who worry. Or at least, that was his guess. 

“Renjun,” Jaemin let out a breath. 

And then, he caught a hold of himself. Jaemin yelled out, not understanding, “What the fuck are you doi-”

“Shut up, Na,” Renjun shot him a dirty look, but it wasn’t a menacing one, “I’m in the middle of my villain entrance.”

A feeling of relief washed over Jaemin, as he feels comforted by the Siren’s rude humor, even in this strange situation.

But just as the relief came, a strange other feeling took over. He looked closely at Renjun’s behavior. His legs seemed like they were trying so hard to be stabilized, and yet, Jaemin looked at the Siren’s fingertips. They were pale, and seemed to shake. In his eyes, Jaemin could see that the Siren didn’t have an awful lot of time. He cursed to himself.  _ Fuck _ , what was he  _ doing _ here.

Sirens could only leave their cove for a  _ certain _ amount of time before death takes them; however, Renjun was testing the waters off of the deep end by venturing out this far. 

What the hell was Renjun doing, venturing out of his cove, when he had  _ never _ done such a thing before. It felt so strange, to see Renjun out of his element. Surprisingly, he was emotionally handling it well. Jaemin wondered if the Erlking could pick up on the behavior.

“I don’t know why you’re trying to act so smug, Siren,” The Erlking begins laughing, clapping his hands as if this was the most humorous event to have ever happened to him. Tears even brimmed at his eyes, “You coming here tonight is, how do I say this,  _ quite _ revealing.”

“It reveals nothing,” Renjun says. 

“Was that your desperate attempt to save your pride?” The Erlking asks humorously, “Say, how much time do you have left.”

Renjun bit his lip as he looked off to the side, but turned back around and stared down the Erlking, “Enough time to kill you. As you  _ know _ that I can. And I would. You should know your place, Erlking. In this hierarchy,  _ I  _ reign on top.”

“Yeah?” The Erlking gets up to a standing position, “For how long? If being out of your cove tonight doesn’t kill you, then,” He turns to look at Na Jaemin, “...something else will.”

Renjun stepped forward, “I’m afraid that if you don’t let my friend go, you won’t live long enough to find out, will you?”

Renjun spoke with confidence, and it masked the weakness he was feeling inside. The Erlking doesn’t seem too fazed, even though he knew that the Siren could kill him. 

“I don’t want that, do I?” The Erlking humors.

“No, you don’t,” Renjun responds in a sing-song voice.

Na Jaemin just watches on. There was a clear power dynamic between the two, and yet, it seemed as if Renjun was less emotionally confident, despite what he tries to let on. 

The Erlking looks back on Jaemin again, “So this...mortal, is able to lure you out of your hole, huh.”

Renjun closes his eyes to take a deep breath, “That mortal is my friend.”

“Friend,” He stares at the beauty, “Right.”

“Now you’re either going to let him go,” Renjun offered an ultimatum, “Or you seal your fate.”

“Fine,” The Erlking easily complies, and it was awfully suspicious. He waves his hands and the chains drop from Na Jaemin’s feet, who stands up immediately.

“What are you playing at?” Renjun asked, suspiciously. Why would he let Jaemin go so easily. 

“I told Jaemin earlier. I didn’t actually want to kill him,” The Erlking laughed, “I just want to see if you’d actually show up.”

He continued, “I have no problem letting him go. Not when I know that you would risk your life for him, when you know full well that he wouldn’t do the same for you. Isn’t that right, Jaemin?”

He turns to look at the sellsword, who doesn’t take his eyes off of Renjun.

The Erlking continues, “You’re here for Renjun’s head, aren’t you? And you,” He turns back to look at the Siren, “You know it, don’t you. And yet…” He laughs, “You still came to save him.”

Renjun seethes, patience wearing thin, “What do you gain from saying this.”

“Nothing in particular,” The Erlking responds, “I just want to express how anticipated I am to see,” He sneers, “Just how this story ends.” 

By  _ how this story ends _ , his intention was clear. Jaemin knew what he meant. Renjun knew what he meant. 

“More pressingly,” The Erlking proclaims, “I want to see what choice Jaemin makes now.”   
“What choice,” Jaemin speaks up, voice booming as he questions the creature. 

“Why…of course the choice of whether or not to save him,” The Erlking chuckles, gesturing towards Renjun, “He’s quite far from home. And as you can see, he’s growing  _ quite _ weak.”

Jaemin looks at Renjun. He was. He could tell by the way Renjun’s hands were shaking more now, and the exhausted expression on the beautiful boy’s face. He could barely even tell if Renjun was paying full attention to what was going on.  _ Fuck _ , he cursed.

“It could end here, you know,” The Erlking incites him, “Your little quest. He’s out of his element. You could leave him here, and it would all be over. The story could end  _ right _ here. Unless…”

Unless  _ what _ ? Jaemin knew what he was implying, but he was irritated that the Erlking didn’t even bother to finish the sentence. It was as if he could already guess that Jaemin would know. He looked at the Siren, who seemed to be trying so hard to keep composed. Renjun’s skin was turning paler. It truly  _ was _ his choice. 

And then, Erlking laughs, “I’ll leave you to make your choice. And trust that I will return sooner or later to see this play out.”

Jaemin swallowed, and when he turns, the demon-like creature was gone. All around them was the barren atmosphere. Dark trees the color of coal aside from its trunks, as if the whole forest had been burnt down. The sky was a deep, dark red. 

Not too far from him, Renjun drops down to all fours, not looking at Jaemin, and was breathing heavily. And some pixies buzzed near Renjun, looking up at Jaemin with teary eyes. Jaemin could hear them. They were asking him to help. Pleading. Their quiet tiny voices asked Jaemin to take Renjun back. 

Jaemin took a couple steps closer and stands, looking over the Siren. Renjun didn’t look back at him. Didn’t ask him to save him. Didn’t plead, as if he knew that Jaemin wouldn’t.

The mercenary bitterly tells him, “You came here not expecting me to bring you back, didn’t you. You knew that I wouldn’t bring you back, and you still came.”

Renjun didn’t say anything, but his body crumpled onto the ground, his head buried in his arms as he tries to breathe. The beautiful and delicate creature lays there in this ugly, forlorn place. Was Renjun destined to die here? Jaemin asked himself. In this barren, dark place? 

Jaemin kneels down, and using his Sabertooth, he takes the pendant and knicks a small cut into the Siren’s skin. And interesting enough, it still bled gold. The wound healed itself, albeit a little slower. 

And Jaemin speaks out loud, “And yet, you still aren’t in love with me,” And then, he thought of the alternate explanation, “Or maybe you just don’t like yourself very much.” He says, “Who else would do this for someone who plans to kill them.”

His words sound so wrong coming out of his lips, and Jaemin brought a hand down to caress those pretty porcelain cheeks, not as rosy as they usually are. Renjun’s eyes were squeezed closed, and his breathing was heavy. The small body curled up into a ball, and Jaemin just looked at it. 

He could leave him here. He could leave the Siren here to die, take the body back, and collect his reward. It was quite a magnificent reward. He could do it. He could collect it now. This creature was the cause of many deaths. Renjun’s existence was rooted in evil, and it would probably have done the world a favor if Na Jaemin just left him here. And yet, the thought left an uncomfortable feeling in his mind. 

This was a much easier route than making the Siren fall in love with him. Because the final decision was right here, right now for him to make. All he had to do was walk away. The creature was growing weaker and weaker by the moment. 

Jaemin stands back up. He looks around. 

And then he makes his feet move. He makes his feet move forward, away from and past the Siren. He hears the pixies behind him crying, and he tries to suppress the feeling in his gut. Na Jaemin was a heartless mercenary. He was bred for this. He had never felt bad about killing before. He had never looked bad, or had remorse. In fact, he was  _ known _ for his lack of ethics.

So  _ why _ , why the  _ fuck _ , was he feeling it all now. He had to make his feet walk, for it felt like being dragged behind like chains. It was like he was trying to run through mud. 

Behind him, he knew that the Siren was dying. And he shouldn’t  _ feel _ this bad. But everytime he blinks, Jaemin sees a flash of a smile. A beautiful smile that he knew was only for him. A head of lavender hair, and bright eyes when he was telling a story. Soft, smooth skin that felt so warm in his hands. A body that fit in his so nicely, and a laugh that,  _ fuck _ , kept him up at night on occasion. He can’t help but hear Renjun’s beautiful singing in his mind, that convinced himself for a moment there that he could die right then and be happy.  _ Fuck. Shit.  _

Jaemin turns around. 

Na Jaemin turns around, walking quickly, before breaking into a jog as he heads back towards the clearing. He despises himself for this. And he convinces himself that this was a life for a life. Renjun had saved his from the Erlking, so now Jaemin was saving Renjun’s. After this, they would be even. And Jaemin could proceed with his mission with a guilt-less conscience. He convinces himself that  _ that _ is what it was. He was just feeling bad because Renjun had just saved him. 

He sees Renjun’s small body curled up against the forest floor, and he curses to himself as he breaks out into a run. He could hear the pixies all saying his name in their high pitched tones  _ Jaemin! Jaemin, Jaemin!  _ But he ignores them all. 

Instead, he focuses on scooping up the Siren in his arms. Renjun seemed to barely be holding onto consciousness, but has the tiniest amount of strength to place his arms loosely around the mercenary’s shoulders. Jaemin holds onto him tightly and looks down. Renjun looked so weak. His heart felt too fucking heavy. The body was light in his arms, and he called out to the pixies.

“Hurry. Take me back,” Jaemin tells him. And then, he follows them, running. He runs out of the Erlking’s woods, but as he was turboing away, in the background, in those terrifying black forests, he hears the echo of loud, thundering laughter. He hears the echo of the Erlking laugh. The demon-like creature knew. It knew Na Jaemin’s choice. 

He runs through the Dark Woods with Renjun in his arms, growing weaker by the moment. The sky above them was back to a normal color, still nighttime, but no longer red. His legs were tired, but he didn’t pay them any mind. Instead, he held onto Renjun tightly and ran. He could feel the Siren’s grip loosen up on his shoulders and Jaemin cursed.

“Fuck, Renjun,” He told the barely conscious creature, “Stay with me.”

He was beginning to recognize the area, “We’re almost there.”

He ran faster than the pixies flew, for he could see the area was familiar now, even in the dark. He runs, now knowing just how much longer the beauty in his arms had. When he sees the large canopy of elephant leaves that covered the entrance to the cove, Jaemin uses all of his energy to burst through and into the vicinity of the cove. He sees the familiar glowing waters, and the fluorescent plants. He hears the familiar trickling, and steps on the familiar pebbled ground. He didn’t just stop here. 

Na Jaemin ran a little distance further until his ankles were in the water and then, he set the Siren down. Both of them came in with a small splash, and Jaemin kneels in the waters with Renjun gently resting against him. Na Jaemin’s breathing was heavy, and he was trying hard to catch his breath. From the side, he could hear the pixies thanking him, but all he could pay attention to was Renjun.

The Siren seemed to be gaining a little bit of color back, and after a couple minutes, Jaemin sees his eyes blink. They were still dazed and hooded. Half of both their bodies were soaked from the water, but they each paid no mind. When Jaemin’s breathing gets back to normal, he stares at the Siren, who looks up at him. Jaemin subconsciously brings a hand up to wipe a couple locks of matted hair from the water out of Renjun’s eyes. 

The hair was pink.  _ Pink _ . 

And then, when the Siren could speak again, he coarsely scolded, “You idiot. You could have left me there, and collected your reward.”

Jaemin, still holding him there in the water, looked off to the side and pursed his lips before telling the Siren what felt like a half truth, “A life for a life.”

At this, Renjun weakly laughed. A strange flash of emotion came through Renjun’s gaze, but it was so brief that it didn’t show up in his hair, “That’s all?”

Jaemin thinks back to the moments before he had decided to turn around. The way his head thought to Renjun’s laugh, his smile, his stories, his colorful hair that was only caused by him, his company. And then, he keeps his gaze anywhere else but on Renjun, and tells the Siren, “That’s all.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this chapter is not too bad! I usually write realistic fiction, so   
> fantasy is definitely something new <3 
> 
> thank you SO much for everything you guys do. I pay attention to all of it, and   
> appreciate each and every single reader of my small renmic fics :3 
> 
> twt: temposlvt


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